Inception
by Zeromaru Chaos Mode
Summary: The three realms are colliding. Children vanishing and returning, speaking of a strange red jester. Wiseman is hunting something from his past. Who is the child that plagues Twin Seed's nightmares? ...and why is she calling for "daddy"?
1. Prologue: A promise kept

He held the child behind him, pulling the girl by the arm, rougher than he intended. She gave a soft squeal of pain; her wrist was still tender from her binds. A large crowd had gathered, police with guns pointed at him at the front. The girl was scared, he was scared, but he made a promise. He nudged her naked form further behind him, she peeked out from underneath his arm, long red hair tickling his flesh.

"Let the girl go!" Shouted one of the men in blue, holding a loudspeaker.

The teen shook his head. Black hair matted with blood and sweat, both his and the child's. Dirt, grime, even blades of grass and tiny shards of glass shimmered in the afternoon sun.

"Not until I know you're real."

He was insane, clearly. The men and women in blue tensed. He was the one kidnapping these children. The girl behind him looked up at him, afraid. They saw her fearing him.

She feared what he saved her from.

They were both tired, haggard. The girl had numerous red lines on her flesh, marks of open skin, sliced from their journey. **They **thought he had harmed her himself. The two knew otherwise.

"Just let her go, and this will all be over peacefully, alright? She's not part of this. Just let her go."

He shook his head again.

"You're wrong. She's the beginning. And I'm it's end. Until I know you're real, she stays with me."

It was impossible to get through to him! They'd received a tip that a scared looking girl and a dirty looking teenager were wandering the streets and alleyways of the city. The girl fit the description of the child that had vanished a few days ago. The police had cornered them, the girl and her captor, but a crowd had gathered. The teen was unarmed, so it seemed, and the both looked like they'd been through hell.

But he kept insisting that they prove they were 'real'. Obviously he was unstable.

None of them had paid attention to the deeper clues something was off. So focused on him, they didn't see that the girl was clutching him in fear. Not fear of him, but fear of _them_.

A commotion arose as the shouts of a young woman carried through the crowd.

"Story? STORY!"

The girls head perked up, recognizing the voice.

"Claris?" she muttered softly, eyes beginning to shimmer with hope.

The teen in front of her, acting as her shield (seen as acting as her cage, by the others) glanced back, surprise in his eyes.

"Dammit let me go! That's my sister! Story!"

"Claris!" The girl cried. She moved forward, but an arm shot out and barred her path.

"Wait." He said.

"But, but that's my sister!" The girl retorted.

"We don't know what _they _can do. It might be a trick. You don't want to go back _there_ do you?"

The girl looked at him, scared once again, but the hope still shimmering in her eyes. "No…"

"I promise-

"I know." She nodded, and slowly stepped back behind him.

As they held their quiet exchange, the tension rose. Now, a celebrity was involved. Claris Sinclair, the city's most well known teen star was now in the crowd, claiming the girl that was being held back was her sister. The situation just got worse.

"Claris!" the girl shouted out. The teenage girl's screams of retribution and pain towards the officers holding her back stopped, as she gave her sister her rapt attention, their mother coming up behind.

"Let her get closer!" The little girl spoke towards the officers. They looked hesitant. The girl looked up at her guard.

"Do as she says." He echoed, eyes never leaving the guns in front of him.

The two officers looked at their commander, who swallowed nervously. All of this had blown way out of proportion…and now they were going to get a civilian involved?

"…let her move up. But cover her!" was the command.

Silence reigned.

"Story-

"Shh!" The girl shushed her sister. "Don't speak. Just wait."

The teen had taken his eyes off the blue clad beings before him and turned to the girl. On reflex, he appraised her appearance.

Light red t-shirt seeming to stretch healthily at the upper torso, peach colored skin reflecting a healthy complexion, red hair of an unusual shade.

"Is that…?"

"Yes, it's her natural color." The smaller girl replied.

He nodded, and continued. Legs covered by light blue denim shorts, a shimmering green pendant on a golden chain around her neck. She was beautiful. This was Claris Sinclair, star of Twin Seeds. A celebrity in the making.

But while her beauty impressed him, and pulled at his hormones, it was something else that captured his tired gaze.

She glowed. Brightly.

A veritable rainbow of colors surrounded her. Red, blue, yellow, green and white all whirled around her form like a spiral of radiance. The density shocked him, he'd never seen such brilliance before, except in the child behind him. That was the key. This was his proof.

He looked down, taking a shuddering breath. His wince upon looking at her confused everyone except the girl behind him. He gently moved his arm back, reaching for her. She grasped her hand within his, and stepped forward.

**BANG**

* * *

><p>Gasps, screams, cries all rung out on the sound of the gunshot.<p>

"HOLD YOUR FIRE!" was yelled.

The bullet seemed to travel in slow motion, heading right for his heart. The girl's eyes widened, knowing he was to be struck. His right hand moved, as if to try to block, or even _catch _it.

_I __**promised.**_

Unseen by any, the bullet reached the point of impact, undeterred by the mound of flesh before it…and then it _vanished_.

The girl's eyes widened in shock.

_He…he sent it __**there**__! It wasn't just luck! He really __**can **__cross between!_

It felt like he'd been punched in the stomach. He clutched his chest, making everyone think he had been hit. But in reality, he was pushed closer to death. The stinging on his back returned in force, once blocked by the tension and uncertainty. He took a deep shuddering breath, trying to stabilize his slowly faltering body. He couldn't stop now, not when he was so close.

He took a step forward again.

And then another.

And then another.

Slowly, he walked in the direction of the teen girl, who was gently lowering her arms from their position at her mouth. She took in his appearance as he slowly padded closer, her sister trailing behind him, holding his hand for dear life.

His brown skin was marred with red, just like her sister's. His hair was dirty, clothes torn. His feet were covered in dried blood and dirt, hands the same. But there was something in his stance, besides the exhausted, drained movements. A focus. A focus beyond anyone's save Elliot's, when he was aiming for a narrow comeback victory. A focus that screamed at her, a desire that called out to her. Her heart began to beat faster, not just in nervousness or fear, but because of _him._

There was something _about _him that screamed important.

Finally, when he was within five feet of her, he stopped, wobbling. Her eyes narrowed as her sister darted to his side, helping him steady himself. If he was truly her captor, wouldn't she…be trying to get away? Why would she be so _concerned_ for him? She watched as he continued to hold her hand, and gently raise the connected limbs. Her sister stepped forward, seemingly more concerned for him than her own nudity.

_What the hell happened? Where did she go? Why is she with him? Why is she __**naked**__?_ All of those questions and more raced through her head.

Slowly the girl stepped forward, reaching her free hand out. Claris pushed aside her guard, and did the same. Their hands touched, and the boy seemed to jolt violently, eyes slamming shut as if in horrid pain.

_It's done. I did it…_

"I…" He began to speak, his haggard sounding whisper, carrying through the silent crowd.

"I…promised…"

He dropped to his knees.

"…I…keep…my promises…"

His eyelids fluttered closed, consciousness leaving him, darkness taking him into its depths. He fell forward, almost pulling the girl with him. Gasps and cries rang out again, as they got to see the state of his back.

He didn't hear any of it. Not the screams of fear.

Not the yells for an ambulance.

Not the cries of the child, seeing the true state of his back.

Not even the gasp of her sister, as she beheld what looked like three massive claw slashes across his spine.

The only thing he knew.

Was that he'd kept his promise.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **First foray into the realm of NiGHTS into Dreams. I wont update this too often, this is another one of my (bajilion) side projects but...well NiD needs more exposure and dammit why not? This is just the prologue, a teaser, basically. Unlike most of my stories, this prologue actually takes place in the middle of the plot. so...yeah. expect to see this scene again, if shortened.

And yes, the title has a purpose and is indeed a homage to the movie Inception, without having ANYTHING to do with it. Outside of dreams.


	2. Return to Nightopia

Loud.

It was loud. Impossibly so.

Sheer noise. No rhyme or reason, just sound.

Everything was so loud. So much sound, pressure, chaos. Everything was impossible.

It was a nightmare.

A nightmare.

Screaming.

**Pain.**

* * *

><p>Her eyes snapped open. Peering through her bubblegum pink locks, the girl blinked rapidly, before slowly rising. Her room was blurry, light streaming in through the window. Slowly she recognized her surroundings. Photos, posters, scraps of color and rhyme. Papers and books all gave form in her mind, comforting the girl. She was no longer in the nightmare. She flung off the covers of her bed, swinging her legs over the edge. She sat there, thinking.<p>

_Another one. None of this makes sense. I can't see anything, just…hear it._

She gathered her effects, shuffling into the bathroom to prepare for the day ahead. Her mind wandered as she turned the taps on the shower, sliding the curtain out of the way, stepping softly into the tub as the warm waters caressed her form.

_Dreaming…dreams…nightmares…they're all natural. They don't always have form or substance, and we don't always remember what happens in them. But…_

She paused, hands stopping their motions where they were once soaping her body, pausing just above her breasts.

_I've __**been **__there. I've seen the world we go to when we dream. __**We **__saved it from eternal nightmare…but what if…_

_What if he came back? Elliot __**did **__say something seemed off about our victory. As if it was hollow somehow, incomplete. What if he was right?_

The shower turned off, the girl stepping out, allowing the waters to drain. Ruffling the crimson towel along her head, she shook the remaining droplets out of her eyes, holding the now damp cloth to her chest, staring into her own violet-red eyes in the mirror.

_We need to go back. The disappearances…the nightmares…they all scream as if they're connected in some way. And if Elliot was right…and __**he **__is back…_

She beheld herself, staring into the mirror. An emotion she rarely felt erupted into her heart, her eyes almost seeming to glow with strength, subconscious mind perceiving a powerful red flare around her form, just like that day.

_We'll have to stop him again. For good._

* * *

><p>"Daddy…I miss you."<p>

A little girl with long black hair seemed to stare off in the distance. Pale skin shimmered in the moonlight, a red summer thin-strapped dress fluttering behind her in the winds. Her feet were obstructed by the water's surface, the glowing stars reflecting off the ripples.

"Daddy…please come home…"

Suddenly, the sky turned blood red, the moon turning black. The water became thick black goop. The girl's dress was in tatters, hair frayed and wild. Fire caressed the horizon, shadows of jagged forms racing across the skies.

"Please daddy…don't let the bad man hurt me anymore…"

The girl's head turned, the vision focusing on her face, as twin long red streaks dashed down her cheeks. Tears of blood dripped onto the surface of the disgusting liquid she was standing in. The moment they did, six long arms reached up from the pool of darkness, grasping the girl's arms and legs, pulling her into their depths.

* * *

><p>"So you've been having them too?"<p>

A boy with blue hair spiked up spoke to the pink haired girl. The once Dream Couple, Claris Sinclair and Elliot Edwards walked side by side along heavily beaten paths to their favorite spot.

"Every night, since the disappearances started. I think something's really wrong here Eli."

"Yeah…I get you CS. But…we haven't been _there_ in years. We never see Nights anymore. Hell, I don't know if we even still have the-

"We do. You remember what Nights said just as well as I do. We can't _lose _our Ideya. Not naturally. It just…fades."

The blue haired boy nodded softly.

"Yeah, but what if ours have faded already?"

"I doubt that. We're the strongest dreamers in the city remember? Besides, singing career aside, I've been…trying…to keep myself in the same mentality. I don't…I don't want my Ideya to fade. I want to grow old, and have them as strong as they were when we first met."

Elliot chuckled. "Same here CS. Same here." He sobered quickly. "You really think they're connected though?"

"It's the only lead I have. The whole city starts experiencing strange, debilitating nightmares at the exact same time children start vanishing, then showing up days later not remembering anything?"

"Nothing except a man in red, dressed like a clown."

"Reala."

"I…we killed him CS. I watched him die just like the other 'Maren."

"I know Eli. Which means if he's back, Wiseman isn't too far behind."

The two deftly stepped around a haggard looking teen. They briefly recognized him from their school but knew nothing else. However, returning to one another, they missed him turn around, peering through dark locks, and wincing as if struck by a painful blow. They didn't see him snap his eyes shut, and turn away immediately.

If they had…perhaps the coming events could have been stopped, or at least, delayed.

* * *

><p>The two lay next to each other, underneath their favorite tree.<p>

This was the place they met, after the first concert that Claris sung at. The day after their final battle with Wiseman.

The place where they fell for each other.

And the place where they broke their relationship, replacing it with a tight bond of friendship.

This place was the closest they'd ever been to finding the tree he put her under after they returned from the Nightmare.

Unseen by any, as they fell asleep, trying their hardest to relax and let the suns rays caress them to unconsciousness; their bodies began to flicker and fade. Unknown to them, they weren't just going back mentally. But physically as well.

They would return to Nightopia. Only they would do so, body, and mind.

* * *

><p>Their eyes opened. Together, the teens took in the view of the unusual place they found themselves in. Contrary to what they expected, they didn't awaken in any of the 'worlds' they had visited before. Instead, they found themselves in front of a fountain. Surrounding them were six doors resting at the edges of six sets of stairs. Small trees littered the landscape, as an eternally shimmering night sky seemed to surround the island.<p>

"This…is new." Claris spoke.

"Claris? Elliot?" A voice familiar to them rang out. In moments, a familiar figure dropped from the sky. The purple clad jester they spent their battles with, NiGHTS. Trailing behind the once-nightmaren were two children, both blonde, but looking nothing alike. They landed softly behind the jester, as Claris and Elliot shared a joyful hug with their old friend.

"These are the two dreamers who defeated Wiseman before us?" the young boy spoke. Nights nodded.

"Will, Helen, meet Claris and Elliot. They were they keys to helping me defeat Wiseman the first time." Introductions were shared.

"Nights…we have a problem." Claris began.

"I know. Children in your city are vanishing and suddenly reappearing, right? It's been happening where they live too." Nights confirmed. "Wiseman must be after something…but…"

"Nights, how is it that kids can up and vanish from our world, and appear here? I thought we only came here while we slept." Elliot asked.

"I believe I can field that answer." An unfamiliar voice echoed. Before their eyes, a fluttering brown owl flew down from the sky and landed on a perch that seemed specifically made for it. Claris and Elliot just stared in disbelief. It was an owl…capable of human speech.

"During your battles with Wiseman, it would seem that due to the sheer amount of Dream Energy expelled through the confrontation, your respective cities have been tied closer to this realm than any other. Because he had grown so powerful both times before his defeat, the battles took place on the border between the Waking World, and our Nightopia. Due to this, the amount of energy released from him seemed to saturate your cities and now the borders between worlds are much weaker."

Nights nodded to the talking owl's explanation. "Wiseman's position as the Lord of Nightmares makes him almost impossible to defeat permanently, it seems. We can break him down, but because he is the master of that world, he will just keep coming back."

"And he came back once before already." Elliot confirmed. "Why didn't you come get us?"

"Ahh…you'd…kinda vanished from my perceptions, honestly. Your Ideya didn't shine as brightly…or rather they did, but not as wildly. Plus, you seemed so happy together, I didn't want to possibly be the cause of your separation." Nights admit.

"You also forgot to mention that they would appear directly into the realm, and not here." The owl spoke sharply.

"Where _is_ here anyway?" Claris asked.

"This, is the Dream Gate." The owl answered. "This is where the gateways to the various realms of Nightopia are accessed. You two happened to be so in tune with the realm however, and so out of tune with reality, due to your nightmares, that you bypassed this area completely."

"What _Owl _forgot to mention…" Nights took over, leveling a glare at the avian. "is that the Dream Gate had been corrupted previously by Wiseman, on his first rise. He had taken control of it and was using it to direct his forces, as well as spread his influence throughout the world. So you two _did _come here, its just that you were shunted so quickly to the various realms that you never noticed it."

Elliot was glancing around, when he saw something that seemed…off.

"Hey…what's that tower off in the distance?"

The group turned to see where he was pointing.

"Honestly, I don't know." Nights said. "I tend to avoid that place…it doesn't feel…right."

"Of course it doesn't." the Owl chastised the maren. "That is the currently unoccupied and sealed off Tower of Dreams. That is the home of the Lord of Dreams, a being of power beyond even my comprehension. Some call the Lord of Dreams the light counterpart to the Lord of Nightmares, but in truth, the Lord of Dreams is the ruler and master of _both _worlds. The tower has been sealed since the passing of the last Lord. The reason you feel _off, _Nights, is because the tower is currently protected against Nightmaren. As long as you don't try to breech the wards, they will only give you a mild discomfort, as if you shouldn't be there."

Nights nodded, still not liking it.

"I wanna go take a look. Maybe there will be a clue there as to what Wiseman is doing." Claris spoke.

"Is it dangerous?" Helen asked. She didn't want to risk Nights, or the others.

"Only to those who try to claim the tower without the Lord's approval. And since there _is _currently no Lord…"

"Anyone who tried to get in would be in danger." Will concluded.

"But we won't be trying to get in, we'll just be taking a look at it from closer up."

Nights sighed. "Alright, I guess I'll lead the way."

Claris immediately took a deep breath and bent down.

"Uhh…CS what are you-

Before Elliot could finish, the girl jumped as high as she could…and came right back down.

"What…" She muttered to herself, looking at her feet irritated. She tensed up and jumped again, ignoring the obvious signs of Elliot watching her chest bounce. Claris huffed, her hair flying in her eyes.

"Elliot, I know you miss them but could you _please _stop staring. It's distracting me." She quipped. The blue haired teen just smiled, raising his hands in defeat.

"Sorry. Just uhh…what are you trying to do?"

"What do you _think_ I'm trying to do?" She clipped back.

"Make me pass out maybe?" Elliot smirked.

Claris rolled her eyes and flipped him the bird, which he answered with a laugh. She turned around, staring at the edge of the island.

"Fine. If the dignified way won't work..."

"Uhh…CS. It's been-

The girl leaned back, stretching her legs, before dashing forward.

"Claris wait! Things work differently here!" Nights called out.

The girl paid the Nightmaren no heed, running for the edge, and diving right off. Nights kicked off the ground, flying furiously towards where the girl jumped from, diving down itself to catch her. The Dream Gate worked under different mechanics than the rest of the Realm. Will and Helen had been here for long enough to get used to things, they knew how to bend the world around them here. This was Claris and Elliot's first time in this place.

Nights lost sight of her beneath the clouds. The 'maren flew back up, worried.

* * *

><p>The wind fluttered her hair back past her ears. She could feel the air compressing around her as she fell. It still wasn't working. Maybe she'd made a mistake. Maybe Nights was right, things <em>did <em>work differently.

For a moment, fear gripped her heart.

But then her mind kicked in.

No. This was a dream world. This was a reality that followed its own logic. And logic could be dictated by the will of the dreamers. And her will…

Was to fly.

* * *

><p>Nights hovered around the edge of the island, worried. Elliot began tapping his foot, a nervous tick he developed prior to their first journey through this world. He was getting a little concerned.<p>

Nights leaned forward, preparing to dive down beneath the clouds, into the Nightmare. A sudden sound behind the group startled them, everyone whirling around to the noise of a clearing throat.

There was Claris, floating on the other side of the island, hands on her hips, engulfed in a faint but powerful red glow.

"Well? Are you all coming or what?"

"Claris!" Nights exclaimed. "You're alright!"

The girl gave the nightmaren an odd look. "Why _wouldn't _I be?"

"Because the realm of Nightmares is beneath those clouds, dear girl. An endless abyss of fear and pain." The Owl responded.

"Well, good thing I didn't go _beneath _those clouds then. It just took me a bit to get used to things here. That feeling I used to have took a bit longer than I expected it to, to return."

"All good CS?" Elliot asked, smirking.

A smirk followed. "All good."

"Gimme a lift then?"

"Pfft, lift yourself! Unless you don't think you can make the jump, mister big-shot basketball player." Claris teased.

"oh it is _so _on."

Taking a running start, he leaped for Claris, who smirked wider and flew back slightly, evading his grasp.

"You BIIIIIIIITCH!" He yelled as he fell off the island.

Claris laughed. "Grow a pair and get your ass up here! We don't have all day you know!" She shouted downward. He flipped around and gave her the finger before he vanished into the clouds. She crossed her arms, and angled herself as if she were sitting on a ledge. A minute later, and a blur of blue shot from the other side of the island. Elliot was now hovering just like she was.

"You sure took your sweet time."

"Bite me. I had to fight back the urge to go take a look beneath the clouds."

"Translation: you had to _try _not to be a dumbass."

"Says the girl who jumped off without asking what was below."

Claris shrugged, as Will and Helen slowly floated up towards them. "Worst comes to worst, I eject myself and wait on you to get the information we need."

"yeah yeah…"

She smacked his arm. "Come on! We don't have much time."

* * *

><p>The land was broken. Bits and pieces of gravel and dirt hovered in the air surrounding the spire that seemed to have large chunks torn out of it.<p>

"With no Lord here, the Tower has fallen into disrepair. I presume that with Wiseman having corrupted the Dream Gate so heavily last time, it added to the instability of this location." Owl spoke softly.

"It's huge…" Will exclaimed in awe.

"As big as the TST, easily." Elliot agreed, mentally comparing the spire before them to the massive tower of arts that rest in the center of their town.

"Maybe bigger." Claris muttered softly.

The group took in the sight of the island the Tower of Dreams was on. Scattered trees and broken grass as far as the eye could see. Heavy rusted chains connecting fragments of land, each one with its own Ideya Palace upon it, the Palaces themselves also looking worn down and unkempt.

"It is said, the state of the Tower reflects the state of the Realm as a whole." Owl supplied.

"It's a mess…" Helen whispered.

"Hey, what's this?" Claris called out. The group made their way to where she was standing.

"Ahh, that is the Warding Gate." Owl spoke sagely.

Before them stood a massive shimmering wall. Soft waves of faint light seemed to waft off of it, reaching above and around the tower itself. The wall looked like a pair of marble doors, with seven indentations, each tinted a different color. Three on one side, three on the other, and the final, smack in between both. One door seemed to be colored darker than the other.

"What are these holes?" Elliot asked, stepping close, but a hand on his shoulder from Nights kept him from touching the door itself. Before Owl could respond, five of the holes seemed to gently glow with an inner light.

Red, Yellow, Green, Blue and White shimmered softly, but the two remaining holes were empty.

"Legend has it that the Dream Lord held the most powerful of Ideya. The seven Ideya would shine brightly around them, illuminating Nightopia with their radiance."

"_SEVEN?"_ The group spoke, outside of Nights.

Nights nodded slowly. "Yes. Seven. The legend has it that originally there were Seven Ideya. The five we know, Courage, Hope, Growth, Intelligence, and Purity; as well as two others."

"The two others." Owl continued. "Were considered the two rarest Ideya, rarer than even the Ideya of Courage."

"What were they called?" Helen asked.

"The sixth Ideya, was black. For the longest time, nobody understood what its inverted shine meant, until one day a pattern was noticed. It came to be, that the Black Ideya, once feared to be a sign of negativity, was merely a sign of **Desire**. However this Desire was beyond that of material wishes. This was a desire that defined a person, a desire that went above and beyond mere want and need. It was a wish that was wished with one's entire unified being."

"Why was it black though?" She asked further.

"It is believed that the Ideya of Desire was black, due to the corruptive potential of Desire as a whole." Owl spoke, confusing the girl.

Claris saw this, and came up with an example. "Look at it this way Helen. Someone lost their parents in an accident." Elliot's head immediately snapped to Claris, surprised. "They see others, with their parents, happy and loved, and they feel alone. They want their parents back. That would be the Desire. But the loss of their parents, and the wish to have them back became so strong, that they grew jealous of others who still had them. That jealousy turns into a horrible hatred of people."

"And from there…" Elliot continued, understanding why Claris used that example. "The Desire would drive them to do bad things, like kill others, or even themselves, out of hatred and sadness." Helen nodded, understanding now.

"Only one who has mastered that feeling, can sport the Ideya of Desire. For it only appears within those who have a powerful drive, a determination beyond comprehensible knowledge, but the ability to retain their sense of right and wrong. Someone who controlled the Desire, and was not controlled by it, would show its radiance." Owl finished.

"And what was the seventh?" Will questioned.

"The seventh…is the rarest Ideya of them all. Rarer than Courage, rarer than Desire. This, was the Ideya of Comprehension."

"Comprehension? Like math?" Will asked, confused.

"No…nothing so simple." Nights spoke, staring into the distance. "Comprehension of Concept, of Idea, of _Existence._ One would have to have the mental capacity to instinctively understand, to _know_. A question would be asked, and _no answer_ would be impossible. You would have to be a free-form being, a person who could understand _how _the sky could be green, or how water could be dry. Even if the answer goes against all logic, even if the reason goes against reason itself, someone with the Ideya of Comprehension would be able to understand."

"One does not Judge, with this Ideya. One does not assume, only speculate. One does not reject a possibility. In fact, the Ideya of Comprehension may as well be called the Ideya of Possibility. For only one who could understand possibility implicitly, could even have the barest _traces _of this light. But humans are raised under strict ideals, rules of what is 'correct' or 'proper'. These notions vary from culture to culture, even family to family. One would have to be _above _these pre-conceptions, able to accept, and understand how another's ideals and thoughts could be valid, or even proper. As Nights said, one would have to truly be a free-form being, a being with yet without self, in order to wield this power."

"God. Basically." Helen clarified.

Nights and Owl nodded. "One would have to be a God among Mortals, to have this Ideya."

"So how does a person go about getting it?" Elliot asked.

Nights shook its head. "It's nearly impossible. The conditions are extremely specific. You would have to be able to do it as easily as breathing. It would have to be such a natural thing for you that you stop noticing that you're doing it."

"The sad part is that all humans have the possibility to have this Ideya, but their minds prevent it. They reject too much, and do not allow enough possibility to bloom in their hearts, for them to touch it." Owl continued.

"This is probably why Wiseman is hunting children. Children see the world differently than adults do. They have more raw power, in this world, than adults. They're closer to having the Ideya of Comprehension than almost any other adult in the world, because they do not reject as much. You could tell a child that the sky is green, and they would believe you, if only because they do not know what is commonly accepted as green and blue. You could tell them up was down, and they would believe you, because they haven't been surrounded by the supposed 'fact' of what direction is what." Nights spoke.

"Alright…so…that gate." Claris' head was reeling. So much more about this world she just learned. "Why did it…do what it just did?"

"Elliot's proximity caused it to react, and begin analyzing him. The Ideya Ward illuminated itself in reaction to his Ideya." Nights explained.

"The legend states that the Dream Lord had all Seven Ideya at the same time. This means that the ward will only drop, and the gate will only open, to someone with all seven Ideya."

"So Wiseman can't get in, right?" Claris asked.

"That is correct. Though Wiseman was once himself a Dreamer, much like you all, he has long since lost his Ideya." Owl spoke.

"What?" Claris and Elliot exclaimed.

Nights nodded. "Wiseman used to be human, just like you. He had Ideya and dreams. But one day, he became trapped in the Nightmare. And slowly it leeched his Dream Energy from him. Desperate to survive, he grasped onto the concept of the Nightmare, and mutated into the being we've fought. He apparently died, in the human world, trapped in a coma until his physical body shut down, and from there, he was forever locked in the Nightmare, where he grew power until he became its ruler."

* * *

><p>The two rose to the sound of squawking birds. The sky tinted a light orange, clouds shimmering from the setting sun's rays. Stretching, groaning, the two gathered their wits, dusting themselves off.<p>

"Can you believe he was just like us at one point? He wasn't always a monster…" Claris muttered.

"When you think about it…" Elliot began. "it makes sense. It explains a lot, why he's so determined to rule the three realms, why he can't be destroyed so easily."

"Those two…"

"They're like us. Brought together by fate and chance."

"They look like they make a good team. You can see it in the way they stand by each other. We should trade stories next time." Claris said.

"Yeah. Who knows, maybe they'll get together like we did." Elliot quipped.

"But we didn't last…" Claris said softly.

"No, but you gotta remember CS, with us, it was different. Our schedules clashed too much. Helen's violin…she doesn't plan on making it a career like you did with your singing. It's just an enjoyable pastime with her mother."

"Yeah…" Claris agreed.

"C'mon. We should get going. Don't want our folks to start worrying too much."

"Elliot…about the nightmares…"

"They're coming because the city is so close to that world. And because Wiseman is using them to lure children in completely. It really doesn't make sense how he can literally _pull_ them into that world, not just through their dreams."

"But he's doing it."

"Yeah. But we'll stop him. We did it before, and those two did it after."

Claris nodded. The two had walked to the edge of the park where their favorite meeting spot was. She gave him a tight hug. "See you soon then."

Elliot pat her on the back. "Don't worry so much, yeah? Whatever goes on, we can handle it."

As they parted, neither knew exactly how tested their resolve would become. Their world was about to be blown wide open, pulled, not just into a battle to protect the realm of their subconscious, but their right to survive as well.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Bits and pieces, this story comes together. I find it ironic this impulse idea came around the same time the Lucid Dreaming OCRemix Album came out. If you're a fan of NiGHTS at all, you owe it to yourself to listen. I've gotten it (it's a free download, seriously) and only listened to about half the tracks so far (stupid other things getting in the way) but holy damn it's good shit.

Grayphoenix: whoever said those horrible things needs to be punched. The original game was amazing. Graphics were incredible for their time (and still look pretty good, even if it's mostly nostalgia glasses talking) music is amazing, and CHANGES depending on your actions in the game. Bosses were fun and frantic, especially when you didn't know what the hell to do to kill them. There was a sense of "must do this fast!" as well as a sense of "huh…wonder how _else _I can do it" and the game DIDN'T have to be played by running through as NiGHTS all the time. Exploring the levels as Claris or Elliot was always interesting, and while the Alarm Egg would get faster, and not be stunned as long each time you stunned it, you still had time to look around.

Hell there's one mare (the 3rd or 4th, I can't remember) in Stick Canyon where I willingly let time run out so Elliot and NiGHTS de-sync, and I can do the mare as Elliot. Instant A rank, because I get MAD chips, and you have no definitive time limit, so you lose no points.

Also I hear sega's thinking of re-making it! Again! Hell yeah!

D&S Master: There's an LP of it? Is it any good? "the captor" will be revealed…already. But no, it's not Elliot, or anyone really connected to him. You'll see who it is soon enough. The promise comes into play soon too. Very soon actually. This one will go fast. It's short and sweet, just like the first game.


	3. Vanish

He was wandering again. Late at night, away from people. Their brightness hurt his eyes too often. He blew a black strand of hair out of his eyes. Tugging on the edge of his denim vest, the boy kept moving.

_Wish I knew what caused it, so I could maybe turn it the fuck off._ He stopped, letting a shimmer pass him. _Shouldn't run so fast. They'll trip. Though…does damage cross over with them?_

He shook his head, moving on.

He preferred the night. Not just because of the lack of brightness surrounding his peers, but because it was so peaceful. This particular city was pretty low on crime, the perfect mixture of people and ideals. He wasn't worried about being mugged or attacked. It was calm, quiet, but not eerily so. Thus, he'd taken to taking naps after school, and wandering the city at night after dinner. He made sure he was seen by the police, wandering both residential areas and non, making sure he spoke to them every now and then, so they knew he wasn't up to anything negative.

They didn't like him. They thought he had something to do with orchestrating the car crash that claimed his parents.

But they wouldn't understand. He wasn't injured in the slightest, because he wasn't there. At least, not in the moment it happened. He shook his head of those thoughts, not wanting to go back to that time. Still, he wandered passing by trees, silent cars, and houses alike.

However it was one in particular that drew his attention. Movement at a door caught his eye. He watched as a girl with long red hair seemed to step _through _the door itself. He tilted his head, noting that sometimes happened. She must have been _there_. But...

His brown eyes narrowed. Something was different. Usually everyone else he sees is faded, hazy. This girl seemed far too solid. He stepped back, letting her pass him, watching her form surrounded by multiple glowing lights. Only another thing was different as well. People gave off the glow, but for others it was like a soft haze surrounding them, shimmering in multiple colors…this girl however, seemed to be surrounded by small fluttering orbs, in the same colors he saw people shine.

Yes…something was definitely off here. As he watched her step across the street, car passing right through her, he resolved to follow.

After all, he too had heard of those disappearances. Children vanishing for a day or two, and appearing somewhere in the city, far from where they left. He wondered if he was witnessing how it happened.

_Maybe…they get pulled into the Other world. And then…they get pushed back here?_

He followed the girl, close, but not too close. Minding the shadows of creatures he knew were watching her.

* * *

><p>Two days had passed.<p>

Two days into the summer vacation.

And her sister was gone.

Claris was hysteric. Her sister up and vanished from her friend's house where she and other classmates were having a sleep-over. The window was left wide open, so a kidnapping wasn't ruled out, even though none of the other girls were disturbed in the slightest.

The girl's cover's looked as if they had just dropped where they were, not the slightest hint of change or shift, as if she just vanished into thin air where she lay. Her friends were scared, worried, guilt-ridden. The police put a bit more effort into this hunt. This was the sister of their city's star. Astoria Sinclair, sister of Claris, Twin Seed's number one teen songstress. And she was gone. Not once had there ever been a ransom note, not once had there been any sign of foul play. Yet these children kept vanishing.

And though the others returned, Claris made sure none of them grew complacent. Because with each kidnapping, the possibility that one of them may _not _return grew.

Cradled by her best friend, her ex-boyfriend, Elliot, she was gently rocked to sleep, as the two lay beneath their favorite tree, hoping to once again cross over into the Dream Realm. Upon their entrance, they called out, heart, mind and voice, for Nights, their guardian and friend. They explained to Nights about Astoria's disappearance, how now _she _was taken. Nights agreed that this had just become personal, and that the once-Nightmaren would put every effort forth into finding her.

However, it would not be the purple clad jester, that found her sister…

* * *

><p>He had followed the girl, and the shadows into the park. She seemed to grow faint, a soft rippling surrounding her form. Thus he let go of his fear and uncertainty, and stepped forward, focusing on the ripple.<p>

In the blink of an eye, he had vanished.

Crossing into the Other world was always jarring for him. To be in one place, and then suddenly be in a completely different location was always a surprise. He didn't understand why, or how he could do it. Or even what that world was. He wanted to, but nobody had answers. So he pushed on with his life.

And now, this strange ability would be used, to help someone other than himself.

Minding his footsteps, he followed the girl through the dimly lit forest. It was incredible. Trees as tall as the eye could see, gentle rays of sunlight reaching down from the completely green covered canopy, grass and leaves everywhere, wooden stumps and rivers…

_Street lights?_

And street lights, floating in the air. The sight gave him pause, as his mind tried to reason why they would be there, before simply giving up. It made no sense. But then again, that giant set of ruins off in the distance didn't make sense either. He pushed on, following the girl, whom now was completely solid, but still surrounded by softly glowing lights, deeper into the forest. However his attention was drawn to the side, as a strange creature seemed to phase in and out of existence. He was distracted, and when he returned to where he last saw the girl, she was gone.

_Shit! What's the betting that was done on purpose?_

He pushed forward, trying to follow a trail, markings left in the dirt, abrasions on leaves, anything he could find. It wasn't until he heard a scream pierce the air, did he locate her. Following the echoing sound, he found a log cabin, modern looking garage next to it, a red painted car with hood raised sitting inside. Gently, minding his steps, he crept towards the cabin, noting the door wide open. The cabin was surrounded by floating stones, giant almost glowing marble with symbols and glyphs carved into the faces.

Pillars of stone reached for the sky, trying to crest the trees and failing miserably. He took in the sights, committing them to memory, in case he had to return or lose a tail. He kicked off his shoes, knowing that even the slightest weight of his steps would echo in this silence. He followed the sound of her whimpering, staying low, creeping quietly. In another room, he saw the back of a man in a tight grey body suit. Bulging muscles stretched the otherworldly material, a red jester's hat with black stripes on the tails rest upon his head. He noted the torn scraps of cloth littering the room, the girls pajamas shredded by the tall man's claws.

Sighting the girl, he slowly made his way to her, while the Jester seemed to mutter to himself, distracted by something.

He crept over, to free her from her binds, finger on his lips to suggest her silence. Scared, desperate, she nodded watching as the brown skinned teen simply touched the strange glowing chains surrounding her, before they seemed to snap silently. It was the first discharge of energy, quiet though it was, that drew the jester's attention. He whirled around, seeing the young man helping the girl off the table. Fury entered his eyes, with a glimmer of surprise and curiosity behind it.

How had this other Dreamer come to evade his senses? Hell, how had the boy managed to follow the girl? These questions would have to wait, for he had to get rid of the boy in order to properly drain the girl for his master.

"I don't know how you got here."

His voice startled the two into inaction.

"But I can assure you, leaving will not be an option."

"You're wrong, clown." The boy retorted, tired sounding, but determination in his tone.

"Be it through death or escape, leaving is _always _an option. It just depends on how badly you want it."

There.

The jester's eyes widened. _That light…_ A flicker of black had appeared around the boy as he spoke. The same black sheen that the girl sported.

It would seem, he'd found a second. He would have to subdue the boy, and drain them both. Wiseman would be pleased indeed.

"Oh but you're wrong child." The jester spoke, the boy blocking the girl from view with his body. Oh he had delicious Courage as well. This _would _be a feast. "There will be no death for you, either of you. Only eternal Nightmare."

The teen swallowed. He didn't have anything on him, no weapon of any sort. He cursed his luck, the stupid human laws preventing him from having a method to defend himself. This was a denizen of the Other World, how much damage could a punch do? He didn't know anything about this world, other than he slipped into it from time to time. His only choice was to stall, until he could flee with the girl.

"Eternal Nightmare? That doesn't sound fun. Listen, I don't know what kind of sick pleasures you're into, but how about leaving this one out of them yeah?"

"Perversion has nothing to do with my desires, child. This…is merely business."

_Mafia? No…he's not…uncouth sounding enough to be one of their goons. Yakuza maybe? Does this world have an equivalent?_ He mentally shook himself. _Fish for information later, right now, we gotta get out of here._

The two had slowly been circling one another, the teen keeping the girl behind him. Slowly he maneuvered himself near the table she was bound on, noting that one of the chains was still present.

"Business eh? Well, I think you should find another _career!_" He yelled the last word, yanking the chain as hard as he could. Unknown to him, his body flared with black and red, surprising the jester with its intensity. The table arced up and over their heads as the teen ducked underneath it, releasing the chain. His mind reeled. He'd intended just to throw the chain at the guy, cause him to block and then hope he could punch the man out. But the _table _went with it!

The jester reacted immediately. Swinging his arm, the table was cleaved in three by a shimmering golden claw. While he was distracted, the teen had picked up the girl and tried to dash past. The jester noticed this, and lashed out, cutting right into the teen's back, cloth and flesh being carved, blood flying outward.

But with the blood came something else. In a move that surprised the jester further, the boy's body seemed to flare with black once again, the jester finding himself impacted by a formless wave of force, throwing him backward and through the wall of the wooden cabin.

Not bothering to address his wound, the teen focused past the pain, and pushed his legs forward. Whatever just happened was his chance to escape with the girl! Still carrying her, the two dashed into the forest.

* * *

><p>Reala shook his head, clearing it of the cobwebs. Never before had a dreamer been able to tap the very essence of the Realm. Not even those four children were able to alter the world like that boy did. And he was the <em>second <em>dreamer to have the Black Ideya of Desire. He couldn't let this slip through his fingers. A series of distortions appeared around him, shadowed forms ripping out from them, tearing forward, racing for where the boy and girl were fleeing.

Reala cracked his back. The impact through the wall had hurt indeed. The boy's power was impossible, but there it was. Wiseman would be _very _pleased to attain it.

The jester began to rise, feet no longer touching the ground. He would join the hunt himself. After all, it was possible the boy could defeat the nightmaren he'd sent after them.

This…

Would be fun.

* * *

><p>Trees whizzed past. Branches slapped the boy's face and arms, but he kept moving. Ducking under the larger appendages of bark, he ran forward. The girl gasped. He didn't like the sound of that. Sparing a glance behind him, he cursed. They were being chased. Strange wolf-like creatures, flying fish with humanoid faces and big pouty lips, golden snail things with green mice throwing glittering spheres of color at them.<p>

He ducked under a sphere, watching it shatter on a tree, the tree seeming to smoke afterwards. He kept running. A wolf passed by him, whirling around and leaping at the two. He threw a foot out, spinning on his ankle, the wolf's jaws missing him, but the claw tearing a gash in his arm. He winced, but kept running. An instinct formed in his mind, he ducked low, a strange whooshing noise. The fish-thing had sliced a tree in half, missing his head.

Unknown by him, every now and then, when the girl gasped, he would flare with a soft light. The pursuers would suddenly find their way barred by a branch ripping out from a tree, a curtain of vines lashing out and wrapping around them, or even the very ground rising up and causing them to tumble. The world itself was responding to him, to their subconscious call.

He heard rushing. Water was nearby, a river. He saw it forming ahead of him. He leapt, just as a sphere impact the ground he was over. The two were thrown into the air, the boy losing his grip on the girl from his injury. The two went flying over the river, slamming into the ground, and rolling. Unluckily for them, the ground gave-way to a hill. The two tumbled down, fragments of dirt clinging to their bodies, the grass giving way to stone as they fell.

The boy coughed, his wounds had re-opened. He motioned for the girl to run, but she crawled for him. A shadow moved.

She screamed.

* * *

><p>Reala chuckled to himself. The boy hadn't even fought. His personal creations, the Wolven, had done their job. Pinning the boy down while he grabbed the girl himself. Her Ideya flared around her, in response to the proximity of the Nightmaren, but he didn't care. She screamed, crying out for her savior. Her fear was almost palpable, Reala feeling as if he could taste it if he desired. He chuckled again.<p>

"I do believe I told you, there would be no escape."

The boy hung his head, barely struggling. Reala turned, deciding to leave the boy here and return after draining the girl. The teen struggled, slowly falling limp against the weight of his captors. As he saw the man turn, he bore witness to the girl's terror stricken face. And for a brief moment, her hair appeared black to him, an image of the black haired child from his recurring nightmares, superimposed over the girl.

His eyes widened, as a roaring flame was lit within his heart.

"I…"

Reala stopped. Something was tugging at his senses.

"I…made…"

He turned around, eyes widening at the sight.

"…a promise…"

The boy was rising. That black light was pulsing around him again, the Wolven unable to hold him down anymore. _Impossible! His Desire is…increasing his strength?_

"I…keep…my…_**PROMISES!"**_

With that declaration, his Desire laid bare to the world, the strange wispy blackness around him flared further. The girl had struggled, reaching out to the teen, her savior, the only person who could help her. It was here that Reala came to a realization.

The girl was _just _as powerful as the boy.

* * *

><p>The same black flared around her, the girl's desire blossoming in her heart, radiating outwards. She wanted to go home, she wanted to see her sister again.<p>

And she wanted that boy to go with her.

She didn't know who he was. She didn't know where they were, only that he'd been right there, as the jester tore her clothes off and bound her to that table. All she knew was he followed them to the cabin, and freed her, took a heavy gash in the back for her. She wanted to go home, and she wanted to take him with her, the boy who tried to save her life. Every fiber of her being was focused on that thought, that wish, as she reached for him.

The Wolven recovered, snarling before leaping at the teen, just as he pushed off the ground with all his might. Reala stared in shock, the ground seemed to _bend _beneath him. This wasn't Soft Museum! That wasn't supposed to happen!

The girl stretched forward with everything she had, feeling her arm begin to go numb from the exertion, she reached a hand out to the teen that was now _flying _at them, wisps of black fluttering behind him, almost like wings. Reala came to his senses, and began to pull back.

But it was too late.

The boy had grasped onto the girl's hand.

Reala got his final shock of the day, as the two radiated the _exact _same pulse of black. Their desires overlapping, merging, into one. Once again he found himself thrown backwards, the two suspended in mid-air, their Ideya flaring to life around them. To his further shock, they began _merging_. Courage merged with Courage, Intelligence with Intelligence, and so on. What were once two sets of Ideya, quickly became one.

_No…a…__**Resonance Reaction**__? But…such harmony between souls…it hasn't existed since the first fall of Wiseman himself! To become truly synchronized, living as one being, hearts beating as a single presence…it was supposed to be __**beyond **__dreamers! Humanity's growth and subsequent stagnation kept such resonance between people from occurring…yet…here it is before me! Who __**are **__these children? Capable of merging wishes upon first meeting?_

_Only those two accursed dreamers were able to perform such an act, and yet here it is repeated before my very eyes!_

What should have been twelve, were six. And the six Ideya began spiraling around the two, their arms and hands reaching for one another, the two coming together in a desperate embrace.

* * *

><p>Across the Realm, heads perked up. Nightopians and Nightmaren alike all seemed to stop what they were doing, turning towards where the strange sensation was coming from. Across the skies, a being in a purple jester suit flew, and yet stopped. It turned its head, red crystal on its chest shimmering brilliantly. It clutched its chest as the crystal seemed to pulse, a familiar feeling racing through its body. It was in another section of the Realm, so it couldn't visibly see what was going on, but it could feel. And what it felt, blossomed fear…<p>

And hope.

* * *

><p>The light became blinding. The spiral of colors merged into one, a rainbow, yet at the same time, a pale silver glow seemed to radiate around the two like a shimmering orb of protection. A series of shockwaves ripped through the air, forcing Reala and the other Nightmaren backwards. The sound of rushing, like roaring waters filled their heads, power beyond belief being unleashed before their eyes.<p>

And then it all stopped.

Silence reigned.

Reala opened his eyes. The dreamers were gone. The light taken with them. They had escaped.

He let out a huff. And then another. Soon, the jester was chuckling, which turned to full blown laughs.

What he'd seen, what he'd experienced, was supposed to be impossible.

He calmed himself, shaking his head, sighing.

Wiseman would have to hear about this.

* * *

><p>A wave of force ripped through the air. Glass within streetlamps shattered, benches were torn to shreds, grass was ripped up and thrown about. A whirlwind of pure essence had erupted into place on the very edge of the city. In a flare of light and shimmering colors, two forms appeared hovering just over the ground. With a soft thump, they dropped. The two groaned, and began to rise.<p>

The girl looked around wildly. They were no longer in that strange forest. But they were surrounded by devastation. Cracks in the gravel, shattered glass, twisted broken benches. She grew afraid again. As if sensing her fear, the young man grasped her hand gently in his own. He too was uncertain, but he held onto his determination. They had escaped the mad jester. To where, was unknown. It looked like a park in the city, but he could not be sure. He rose, she rising with him.

"Come on…let's get out of here before people come looking."

She nodded. "Can…can they follow us?"

He looked around, seeing nothing, but knowing he sometimes saw shadows of creatures.

"I don't know. And I don't want to find out. We'll have to take it slow…but we can get you home."

She nodded again, and the two stumbled off, following the back-streets and alleyways.

While it was broad daylight, the boy's movements kept them hidden from view, nobody noticing their path.

Until they were spotted.

Unknown by either of them, someone had seen the missing person's report, and recognized the girl. She looked terrified, as she seemed to be dragged by the hand by a young man older than her. She called the tip hotline, indicating the path they seemed to be taking.

The boy kept his wits about him, eyes scanning crowds and alleys alike. He saw the shadows, the creatures of the Other World, but they couldn't seem to see him. There weren't many, but he couldn't be sure they were truly safe, until the girl was home.

After all…

All of this…could simply still be another part of _that _world…

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** And now it really starts. Some of you who read my stories might be able to tell who this is. But _what _he can or cannot do…well…

Let's just say this time you get to _see_ him grow.

Claris has a sister. No she doesn't in canon but for the purposes of this story, she does. Yes, her sister will be very important to the plot. No I won't say how. The mysterious boy will be properly introduced next chapter, which takes place right after this one ends.

archsage328: Nostalgia indeed. This was one of the games that defined my childhood, and the subtle themes within shaped how I would grow. I owe a lot of my internal mental successes to this game. As for the Lord of Dreams…I can say nothing on that point. What happens will happen, and I hope you continue to enjoy it regardless. I'll admit, this story will be a test for me. A certain event occurs, and I'm not used to writing about how it plays out naturally. So this will be…interesting.

D&S Master: I've seen a few videos. He seems to know what he's doing but…NiGHTS player in me just keeps itching to point out how he could have gotten through mares faster, killed bosses quicker, information he missed out on, explanations…I'm holding it in check for now, and he does admit later on that at the time of making the LP he was rusty, but…dammit I wish I had a recording device. You'll soon find out what's _really _going on. Reala is a part of things but…he's not the cause of people slipping over. You'll find out who is later. And no, it's not Nights or Wiseman either.

JoD was pretty, but it didn't control as well, and the additions to things were…meh. I admire their intent, and though no Claris or Elliot, Will and Helen were given characterization beyond a blurb in the manual, so they became pretty interesting. Some elements from what little I've played of JoD will appear, but mostly this is a NiD focus fic. That is to say, it'll use the realms and creations from the first game. The Seven Ideya are…well you already know about them from my other stories (yep, they tie together). The Tower of Dreams is something I thought of for…many reasons. Claris and Elliot seem like they got together at the end of the first game, but I kinda need her for something else, so they split, but it was mutual (really, star of b-ball, star singer? Scheduling conflicts goooo!) and they stay very close friends. Just go to OCRemix dot com. It's on their front page. It's a really good site too, SOOOOOO many friggin remixes.

grayphoenix: Pinball…pinball…there…wasn't a pinball section…in the first nights…not that I remember at least. Are you thinking of the fight against Gulpo? Was there a giant fish involved? There were bugs yeah but not as much as some people might say. The bad points would be mostly maybe time limit? The shortness of the game? Lack of definitive story? It was a game that made my childhood (and I haven't played the Saturn version in forever) so I can't claim I can see it _too _objectively. Definitely not a game for everyone though.

Ahh I know of Morpheus. Not much but I know some about him. What fell into disrepair was merely the Tower. Owl's legend about the Tower mirroring the Realm is a bit off. Yeah, the two are obviously connected but the Tower is a bit of a Stand-Alone type thing. You'll see what I mean later.


	4. Emergence

The two slipped through backstreets, alleyways behind buildings. Stepping around trash bags, slipping between fences. Neither of them was too sure where they were, just that they were apparently in the City. The two stayed close, never venturing more than a few feet from one another. Wanting to take a rest, the black haired teen leaned against the wall, panting from his injuries.

"You ok?" the girl asked. Looking up at her savior, worried.

"Hah…no. Back's itching like mad…hurts way too much." The girl frowned at the answer, noting how the teen seemed to wince as he rolled his shoulders.

"What's your name?"

She blinked, lost in thought. "Huh?"

"Your name."

"Oh…Astoria." The girl supplied. "Astoria Sinclair."

The teen's eyes widened for a moment, before they seemed to fill with sadness, and an empty chuckle came from him.

"…I'm sorry."

"About what?" Astoria was genuinely confused. The still nude red-haired girl blinked at her savior, wondering what he could _possibly _be apologizing for.

"My parents…are the reason you only have one." He said, softly. The girl blinked again, eyebrows rising as the information processed. Indeed, a year ago, her father was killed in a traffic accident, along with two other people.

"Wait…you mean-

"My name is Seth. Seth Johnson." Now, her eyes widened.

"The only survivor…"

"Must be Karma…or Fate." He mused, wincing from a sharp jolt of pain.

"Why do you say that?" Parents being the cause of her father's death or not, he saved her life. She didn't really get why people were mad at him for living anyway.

"My parents take one of yours, and a year later, I come and save you. Odd, isn't it?"

"I guess. Claris was always closer to dad than I was. I miss him but…she misses him more, I think."

"If only the rest of the city thought like you." He muttered.

"Why? What happened?" She asked.

"They were arguing…like usual. My step father was speeding, didn't see the light turn red. My mother was bitching at him for something, and I was just trying to ignore it all, like I usually did. But then I saw the car coming from the side. I couldn't do anything. And then I heard a voice. A girl, calling for her father to come home. Next thing I know…I'm…somewhere else. I thought I died and went to heaven. But a little while later, I tripped, and found myself back in the city, near the accident." He spun his tale.

"Where did you go?"

"I think…I went where we just came from."

"The forest?"

"No…it was like that forest but not it. It felt the same though. It was more…hills and valleys. Grass and mountains. And windmills. Floating ones. I knew nobody would believe me. So when the police came and asked how I got away, how I wasn't injured in the slightest, I told them I didn't know. Because honestly, I didn't. I still don't. I told them I blacked out, and when I woke up, I was on the ground, out of the car. I don't know what that place was, or who that guy was, or what those lights are or anything. I just know that since that day, people have hated me for taking away the father of Twin Seeds' greatest singer. It wasn't even my fault, but I was blamed because I survived. I lost count of how many times someone would smack into me and say I should have died with my parents."

Tears welled up in the girl's eyes. It wasn't right. It wasn't fair. He'd lost his parents too, and she only lost one of them. And the whole city acted like he was the one behind the wheel, just because of some strange thing that happened?

"But since then, I've been able to see…color…around people. It's faint in adults, there but weak. It's stronger in teenagers, but wild, untamed. It's strongest in children, but rather than wild it's…calm. Flowing, like a river. If it wasn't so bright it would be relaxing to look at."

"Is that why…you haven't been looking at me?" she asked, pushing aside her sadness for him.

"That and…well you're not wearing anything. I'd give you my jacket but…" It was covered in blood, and torn horribly in the back. Astoria nodded, thankful to just be alive.

"That color, those glows are how I found you, kept track of you. Since then I could see…shadows, of the other world. People were echoes, faint, blurry, but you were solid. You had definition. And I knew that was odd enough. So I followed you." He continued.

"I'm happy you did. If you didn't…" She looked away, gripping her arms slightly. He wanted to comfort her but…considering her lack of dress, he abstained.

"Anyway…" he said, testing his back, pushing away the ache. "We need to keep going…we need to get you home…"

"We could go to your place, if it's closer." Astoria suggested. Honestly all she wanted was a hot bath and some clothes, maybe a nice bowl of ice cream too. It didn't matter _where _to her. She just wanted to be somewhere she could relax.

He shook his head. "No…even if it was, which I have no idea…I don't know how long we've been there. I don't even know if we're really _out_ yet. That's one of the reasons why I don't go there too often, even though I can. I don't know how much time passes, and I don't know when I'm actually back, until I see someone with a powerful enough glow. They probably think you've been kidnapped. And if we're found at my place, even if I give you back without any fuss, they'll think I did it. The police don't like me much."

"Because of the accident?" she asked, stepping over to grasp his hand again.

"Yeah. For a while they tried everything they could to pin it on me, but when I threatened legal action they backed off." He responded.

Astoria sighed, patting his arm gently, before speaking with a frown as they began walking through the alleyways again. "Sometimes…I hate my sister's fame…"

* * *

><p>He held her behind him, pulling the girl by the arm, rougher than he intended. She gave a soft squeal of pain; her wrist was still tender from her binds. A large crowd had gathered, police with guns pointed at him at the front. Astoria was scared, <em>he<em> was scared, but he made a promise. Seth nudged her naked form further behind him, she peeked out from underneath his arm, long red hair tickling his flesh. He wouldn't allow anything further to happen to her. He would choose death first.

"Let the girl go!" Shouted one of the men in blue, holding a loudspeaker.

The teen shook his head. Black hair matted with blood and sweat, both his and the child's. Dirt, grime, even blades of grass and tiny shards of glass shimmered in the afternoon sun.

"Not until I know you're real." _The colors are too faint. That guy…he obviously knew what he was doing. There could be more like him._

He was insane, clearly. The men and women in blue tensed. He was the one kidnapping these children. The girl behind him looked up at him, afraid. They saw her fearing him.

She feared what he saved her from. He'd warned her previously that he didn't know if the Shadows could cross over like he could. So they kept to the alleys, hoping to evade any pursuers. But their luck ran out, and now she was bared for the world to see. But she didn't care about that. She was worried about him, her savior.

They were both tired, haggard. The girl had numerous red lines on her flesh, marks of open skin, sliced from their journey. **They **thought he had harmed her himself. The two knew otherwise. The tumble they took hurt both of them, Seth more than Astoria, but one would have to see his _back _to know. It wasn't getting worse, but it wasn't getting better either. She was worried.

"Just let her go, and this will all be over peacefully, alright? She's not part of this. Just let her go." The voice waivered. Tension coated the crowd, held back by other officers.

He shook his head again.

"You're wrong. She's the beginning. And I'm its end. Until I know you're real, she stays with me." There was no way he was letting them take her. Not until he knew they were out of _that _place. Not until he had proof that she would be safe.

It was impossible to get through to him! They'd received a tip that a scared looking girl and a dirty looking teenager were wandering the streets and alleyways of the city. The girl fit the description of the child that had vanished a few days ago. The police had cornered them, the girl and her captor, but a crowd had gathered. The teen was unarmed, so it seemed, and the both looked like they'd been through hell.

But he kept insisting that they prove they were 'real'. Obviously he was unstable.

None of them had paid attention to the deeper clues something was off. So focused on him, they didn't see that the girl was clutching him in fear. Not fear of him, but fear of _them_. These were the people who hounded him, for simply living where his parents died. These were the people who could be like the jester that ripped her clothes off, violated her with his eyes, and prepared to do _something _to her, though she was not to know it wasn't her _body _Reala wanted.

None of these people would understand how he saved her, none of them would want to hear it. He was a scapegoat to them, a lamb to be tossed into slaughter for vengeance that wasn't even theirs to claim. He, who had done something out of kindness, and selflessness, was faced with a crowd who would rather tear him apart than listen to his tale.

And seeing the _dirty _side, the dark side of humanity, scared her.

A commotion arose as the shouts of a young woman carried through the crowd.

"Story? STORY!"

The girl's head perked up, recognizing the voice. _Is that…_

"Claris?" she muttered softly, eyes beginning to shimmer with hope.

The teen in front of her, acting as her shield (seen as acting as her cage, by the others) glanced back, surprise in his eyes. The glow around her was faint for a while. Ever since he told her of what he could see, it was as if she'd somehow dimmed the light around her body. But now a very powerful golden-yellow was beginning to waft off of her, taking precedence over the other colors.

"Dammit let me go! That's my sister! Story!"

"Claris!" The girl cried. She moved forward, but an arm shot out and barred her path. _It could be a trap._

"Wait." He said.

"But, but that's my sister!" The girl retorted.

"We don't know what _they _can do. It might be a trick. You don't want to go back _there_ do you?"

The girl looked at him, scared once again, but the hope still shimmering in her eyes. "No…"

"I promise-

"I know." She nodded, and slowly stepped back behind him.

As they held their quiet exchange, the tension rose. Now, a celebrity was involved. Claris Sinclair, the city's most well known teen star was now in the crowd, claiming the girl that was being held back was her sister. The situation just got worse. They found the missing girl, but this was the icing on the cake. It was now proven that this girl was the sister of their star.

"Claris!" the girl shouted out. The teenage girl's screams of retribution and pain towards the officers holding her back stopped, as she gave her sister her rapt attention, their mother coming up behind.

"Let her get closer!" The little girl spoke towards the officers. They looked hesitant. The girl looked up at her guard. They seemed to have a complete conversation with their eyes. He knew what she wanted. She wanted to use the being posing as her sister as the test, to see if it was real or not.

He inwardly smiled, that she accepted his words so readily.

"Do as she says." He echoed, eyes never leaving the guns in front of him.

The two officers looked at their commander, who swallowed nervously. All of this had blown way out of proportion…and now they were going to get a civilian involved?

"…let her move up. But cover her!" was the command.

Silence reigned.

"Story-

"Shh!" The girl shushed her sister. "Don't speak. Just wait."

The teen had taken his eyes off the blue clad beings before him and turned to the girl. On reflex, he appraised her appearance.

Light red t-shirt seeming to stretch healthily at the upper torso. Peach colored skin reflecting a healthy complexion, red hair of an unusual shade. _Wait pink? Sakura Haruno pink? Arietta the Wild pink? That can't be real._

"Is that…?"

"Yes, it's her natural color." The smaller girl replied.

_I'd call bullshit on that, but she hasn't lied to me once yet, I don't think. Damn though, that's like, beyond rare._

He nodded, and continued. Legs covered by light blue denim shorts, a shimmering green pendant on a golden chain around her neck. She was beautiful. This was Claris Sinclair, star of Twin Seeds. A celebrity in the making. _The girl who's father my parents killed with their stupidity._

But while her beauty impressed him, and pulled at his hormones, it was something else that captured his tired gaze.

She glowed. Brightly.

A veritable rainbow of colors surrounded her. Red, blue, yellow, green and white all whirled around her form like a spiral of radiance. The density shocked him, he'd never seen such brilliance before, except in the child behind him. That was the key. This was his proof. He winced, the brightness blinding him slightly.

He looked down, taking a shuddering breath. His wince upon looking at her confused everyone except the girl behind him. He gently moved his arm back, reaching for her. She grasped her hand within his, and stepped forward.

* * *

><p><strong>BANG<strong>

Gasps, screams, cries all rung out on the sound of the gunshot.

"HOLD YOUR FIRE!" was yelled. But it was too late. The trigger had been pulled. Fate had been set in stone.

The bullet seemed to travel in slow motion, heading right for his heart. The girl's eyes widened, knowing he was to be struck. His right hand moved, as if to try to block, or even _catch _it. _Not now. I can't die here. I can't let __**her **__die here._

_I __**promised.**_

He focused his will, focused his desires. He imagined the same falling yet moving feeling he felt whenever he went to the other world, that feeling of being there, and then somewhere completely different in the span of a second. But rather than focusing it upon him, like he usually did, he focused it outward. Pushing with all his internal mental might, pushing past the pain and exhaustion.

Unseen by any, the bullet reached the point of impact, undeterred by the mound of flesh before it…and then it _vanished_.

The girl's eyes widened in shock.

_He…he sent it __**there**__! It wasn't just luck! He really __**can **__cross between!_

It felt like he'd been punched in the stomach. He clutched his chest, making everyone think he had been hit. But in reality, he was merely pushed closer to death. The stinging on his back returned in force, blocked by the tension and uncertainty. He took a deep shuddering breath, trying to stabilize his slowly faltering body. He couldn't stop now, not when he was so close.

He took a step forward again.

And then another.

And then another.

Slowly, he walked in the direction of the teen girl, who was gently lowering her arms from their position at her mouth. She took in his appearance as he slowly padded closer, her sister trailing behind him, holding his hand for dear life.

His brown skin was marred with red, just like her sister's. His hair was dirty, but the blood on his shirt was barely noticeable due to its previous red shade. His jeans were covered in grass and mud stains. His feet were covered in dried blood and dirt, hands the same. But there was something in his stance, besides the exhausted, drained movements. A focus. A focus beyond anyone's save Elliot's, when he was aiming for a narrow comeback victory. A focus that screamed at her, a desire that called out to her. Her heart began to beat faster, not just in nervousness or fear, but because of _him._

There was something _about _him that screamed important, felt _different_. A familiar feeling, yet a foreign one as well.

Finally, when he was within five feet of her, he stopped, wobbling. Her eyes narrowed as her sister darted to his side, helping him steady himself. If he was truly her captor, wouldn't she…be trying to get away? Why would she be so _concerned_ for him? She watched as he continued to hold her hand, and gently raise the connected limbs. Her sister stepped forward, seemingly more concerned for him than her own nudity.

_What the hell happened? Where did she go? Why is she with him? Why is she __**naked**__?_ All of those questions and more raced through her head.

Slowly the girl stepped forward, reaching her free hand out. Claris pushed aside her guard, and did the same. Their hands touched, and the boy seemed to jolt violently, eyes slamming shut as if in horrid pain.

_It's done. I did it…god __**damn **__those two are bright._

"I…" He began to speak, his haggard sounding whisper, carrying through the silent crowd.

"I…promised…"

He dropped to his knees.

"…I…keep…my promises…"

His eyelids fluttered closed, consciousness leaving him, darkness taking him into its depths. He fell forward, almost pulling the girl with him. Gasps and cries rang out again, as they got to see the state of his back.

He didn't hear any of it. Not the screams of fear.

Not the yells for an ambulance.

Not the cries of the child, calling for her savior to wake, held back by men twice her size and strength.

Not even the gasp of her sister, as she beheld what looked like three massive claw slashes across his spine.

The only thing he knew.

Was that he'd kept his promise.

* * *

><p>They almost didn't want to treat him. If he died here, it would be fine, right? After all, he was the only survivor. He was the one taking these children as well. So if he died, it would be a good thing.<p>

The police, however, had other ideas. They wanted him for questioning. They believed he did it, but only because of their emotions. Logically, there was still no proof either way, so they needed him alive. Especially since the girl who he took was being very unhelpful. Repeating only that he saved her, that he was why she was still alive, that it was her fault that he had those gashes in his back.

The gashes.

That was another thing that puzzled everyone, even the doctors. It looked like the slashes of the claw of a wild animal, but they didn't match anything they knew of. They were narrow and deep, and far too even to be the work of a large predator. Too close together as well. They were spaced by finger width, but that was impossible!

The girl said it was the jester, who did it to him. The jester wearing red and black, and a grey bodysuit, a pair of golden gauntlets ending in clawed fingers upon his arms. But she clammed up after the fifth time they asked if he was the jester, if he'd touched her anywhere she didn't like, how long he had her captive, why she was naked, why he'd brought her back. They were so focused on him being guilty, him being the cause. She stopped talking. When they tried to push, all she would say was "I want my lawyer."

That got them to back off. Some of them recognized the tone. Some of them did a double-take when they heard those words, spoken in that same pose, with that same focus. She spoke _exactly _like _he _did. They couldn't question _him _though. He was still unconscious. He'd exhausted his body completely. He was in a mild coma, though outside the gashes, the slight scrapes from the tumble, and the bruises from their fall back into reality, they couldn't tell _why _he was so exhausted.

The girl wasn't as messed up as he was, a couple scrapes and bruises, but she shared similar, if slightly weaker, exhaustion, thus she was kept in the hospital, but not in the same room as he. Two policemen were stationed outside her room at all times. Finally, her sister came through, able to see the girl.

"Oh god Story I was so scared." Claris exclaimed, hugging the girl tightly.

"So was I sis."

"Do…do you want to talk about it?"

"Did they send you in here for that? I already told them Seth is innocent, but they don't want to believe me. You can go tell them to kiss my a-

"Story!" Claris chastised. "I'm not here for them. I want to know…for me."

Astoria looked at her sister in a way that made the elder teen feel uncomfortable.

"I don't know."

Claris sighed, lowering her head.

"I'm serious. I don't know how it happened." Claris looked up at that, seeing Astoria staring out the window. The police outside the door listened in, silently.

"I remember falling asleep at Amanda's, during the sleep-over. We were all really tired. I remember…I was dreaming. Dreaming of a little girl in a red dress. She kept calling for her daddy. The dream…the sky turned red, and bloody lightning flashed. I was scared. These…black hands came out of the water and pulled her in…and then next thing I knew I was in this…weird grey place. I just started walking, trying to find my way home…when I came into this forest."

Claris' eyes widened.

"I thought it was a really elaborate dream. Especially since there were floating traffic lights everywhere." Claris gasped softly. Astoria didn't hear it, lost in the memory. "And…I found this shack. The door slammed shut behind me, and this…tall, muscled jester guy said he'd been waiting for me, looking for me. He called me a 'precious dreamer' said something about idiots or something. Said I had what he needed. I tried to run but he grabbed me and slipped a single finger under one of my buttons and ripped my shirt off. He damn near clawed my chest open. I screamed and kicked but he just did the same with my pants, before throwing me on this metal table, and snapping his fingers. These…chains wrapped around my arms and legs, but then he left the room."

Claris was shaking. She knew where the girl went. She knew who the jester was.

"And then Seth showed up. He said he'd been following me, because something seemed off, he'd seen me enter that place but I looked…wrong. He touched the chains and they seemed to break when he did, but the jester noticed and came back. They spoke for a bit, where Seth pretty much shut the jester up, and then Seth…glowed. His body seemed to glow red for a second, before he grabbed one of the chains and threw the _table _at that guy. He grabbed me and tried to run, but the guy just sliced the table up with his claws, and then sliced Seth. But then this…this black pulse seemed to come off of Seth, and the guy went flying."

Red glow…that was the Ideya of Courage. And it would take serious courage to stand up to Reala. But…Claris didn't know what the black was. _Wait…black. Desire? He pulsed with Desire? But…how? Why? His desire was to save Astoria? But…that makes no sense!_

"We ran, but the guy summoned these…things. Monster looking wolves, and a mouse riding a tadpole and and…a head attached to a red fish. They looked demented, freaky. But every time they got too close, the trees would seem to grow and stop them. Vines would like, drop and tangle them. We almost made it to where he said he came in from, but then one of the mice threw this rainbow ball at us, and it blew up as we jumped over a small river. He lost hold of me and we both rolled down a hill, where the jester caught me again. The wolves pinned Seth down and the jester taunted him…and I just wanted to go home! I wanted this weird nightmare to end, and I wanted Seth to come with me! Everything that happened screamed at me that it was all real, that I wasn't just dreaming anymore, that something had changed. And then Seth yelled out that he'd promised me he'd get me home, and he did."

Astoria looked back at her sister, eyes glistening with tears.

"And then the black pulse came back. And it knocked the wolves away. And then Seth jumped, and I could feel the jester pulling me but I reached out to him. And when we held hands, the jester was thrown away again. And I remember, I felt…safe. Like we were going home. Next thing I know, we're dropping from just above the park. But Seth wasn't sure if we'd gotten away or not, so he led me through the alleyways, where we properly introduced each other. And then…you know the rest."

"Who is he?" Was the only thing Claris could properly focus on. He seemed familiar, as if she should recognize him.

"The guy whose parents got our dad killed."

Claris gasped. "He's _that _guy? The only one who survived?"

Astoria nodded. "Yeah. And everyone's been treating him like **crap**. You wouldn't believe the horrible things he said they've done and said to him. All because he got pulled into wherever it was _I _did. Only he said it was grassy and with a lot of mountains and windmills."

"Spring Valley…" Claris muttered. Astoria blinked.

"Huh?"

"…I said Spring Valley."

Astoria stared, gaping at her sister.

"You…you believe-

"I do. Because I've been there. I spent quite a few nights of two years ago in that world. Story…listen. That place, the place you went to…it's called Nightopia. It's a world made from the energy of sleeping and dreaming people. We all go there when we dream, but it's usually just a stage for our sleeping visions. It takes…a very special type of person to become aware of that world as it is, and actually move around in it. Remember…the auditions?"

"Yeah…you came home looking like shit, and then two weeks later you went back and killed it." Astoria said.

"That was because during those two weeks, every night, I would be in Nightopia, helping one of the beings there save it from a powerful person who was trying to take it over, and possibly our world as well."

"Seriously?"

"Dead ass." Was Claris' response, taking a page from Elliot's book. "Elliot had the same thing happen to him. That's…actually where we met, just before the final battle. Basically every night for those two weeks, one of us would be active there, helping gain back the power that Wiseman, that's the bad guy, was taking from sleeping people. He'd drain them of their Dream Energy, their Ideya, concepts of personality that everyone has, to boost his own to try to take control of both worlds. NiGHTS, that is, the thing that I was helping, called out to us, making us aware of that world, pulling us from our nightmares of being chased by demons formed from the people we felt like were our roadblocks in life, and into Nightopia proper."

"So you two literally met in your dreams? That's so romantic!" Astoria spoke, awed. Nobody knew how those two had met, why such opposites would come together, or why they would seem like they held a secret nobody else knew.

"I didn't believe it at first, but after a couple nightmare filled sleep nights, I went with it. That world is…strange. But beautiful in its own way. We defeated Wiseman…but because he is the Lord of Nightmares, he can't be beaten forever. He came back, and Nights got a couple other people from another city to deal with him, last year. But Wiseman is back again. And he's the one who's been kidnapping children."

"So Seth is innocent, just like I said." Astoria pushed.

"Yes…but…"

"We'd have to prove it somehow. And…I guess this is one of those big secret things that is supposed to be kept quiet?" Astoria asked.

"i…don't know honestly. It's more of a case of who the hell would believe us?"

"…Seth said…adults didn't glow as brightly, if at all…" Astoria muttered.

"Huh?"

"No…Seth was telling me that after the accident, he could see colors around people. The younger they were, the brighter they were. And most adults don't have very bright colors."

"…He can see Ideya?" Claris mused, awed. And then she remembered something. She'd seen him in school, but he never _looked _at anyone.

"He said it was really bright, and hurt to look at for too long." Astoria added.

"So that's why…"

"Have you…been to that forest?"

"The Mystic Forest. Yeah. The traffic lights threw me for a loop too." Claris quipped. The two laughed, continuing their conversation about multiple things, both wondering how they would clear Seth's name, when Astoria was cleared to leave the hospital.

* * *

><p><strong>Twin Seeds Police Dept. HQ:<strong>

"Come in you two. You said you had something for me?"

"It's about the Astoria Sinclair case, chief."

Two officers, one male, one female, the two who were standing guard outside Astoria Sinclair's room, entered the office of the Chief of Police. They knew the tale they were about to spin was impossible, but the conviction in those two girl's voices…the younger Sinclair finally opening up about her experience…

It had to be told.

The police chief sat straighter in his chair. "Waddya got?"

"We let in her sister for those two to talk. Since we weren't getting anything out of her other than Seth Johnson's innocence in the whole ordeal."

"Load of crap." The chief said. He didn't believe that the African-american teen didn't have anything to do with that car accident, and he didn't believe that he didn't have anything to do with the kidnappings.

"I…well we left the door open a bit, to see if she'd say something to her sister that she wouldn't say to us."

"And?"

"There was…a lot."

The two officers outlined the conversation they heard, along with everything it entailed.

"So let me get this straight. You're telling me, that Sinclair believes she was drawn into some alternate world, and that Johnson saved her and brought her back?" It was impossible. Bullshit. None of it was real.

Yet a nagging feeling in the back of his head, especially once they mentioned the Nightmares, told him to shut up and listen.

"The jester fits the description, and the fact that all of the kids only remembered a lot of grey before seeing him matches too. And Claris Sinclair both believed her sister and even explained what that world was to her."

"So we have two teenagers talking about alternate worlds, where some big scary king of nightmares is gathering people's life force and using it to try to take over? And Claris Sinclair and her ex-boyfriend were the ones who stopped him the first time, and that's how they first met? In some dream?" It sounded like a plot from a movie or something. Impossible.

"There's another thing chief. She went on to say that she knows about the whole City experiencing similar nightmares, about a little girl in a red dress. She believes that's because of this 'Wiseman' character."

That made the chief pause. He too had been having odd dreams involving a little girl calling for her 'daddy'.

"This is bullshit." He said. "How are we supposed to do anything about this? We can't just confront the girl and say she's crazy." Then the city would be on _their _asses, just like they were on Johnson's.

"What if she's not?" the other officer, a female, said. "What if she's really telling the truth? I gotta say chief, my kids have been waking up every couple of nights asking when that little girl is going to find her daddy, because it's making them sad. You don't know how scared they were the first few nights, but now they're used to it. The kids were literally disappearing from their _beds_. Not a single thing was disturbed, it was like they vanished. And then they'd show up a day or two later, in some random place in the city, talking about a red jester. Now this girl gets kidnapped, and says that the jester saw something in _her_ that he didn't see in the other kids. Take out the whole alternate world thing, that means she almost _died_, regardless of if she actually went to some other dimension or whatever."

"Which means that it could have been any of those kids. They just didn't have what he was looking for."

"There's one more thing chief." The man said. "Sinclair claimed that the reason why we've been having these nightmares, and those kids are getting ghosted, is because during the last battle against 'Wiseman' took place in a world that looked like the skies above Twin Seeds. She said the final battle took place at the TST itself, and apparently because Wiseman had gotten so strong before they took him out, and because the fight was so big, this city has been pushed closer to that world."

The chief sighed. Until there was proof either way, they couldn't hold Seth Johnson, and they couldn't prove or disprove anything. His wounds were real, their exhaustion was real.

"The park!" The woman barked out suddenly.

"huh?"

"We can check the park! The girl, Astoria, she said that when they came back, the gravel was cracked and chipped, the benches were shredded and the lampposts were broken. If all that matches up with what she said-

"We have our proof. Alright you two, with me." A tense feeling in his gut appeared. He'd been on the force for almost thirty years now. And every time when that feeling showed up, something _bad _happened.

* * *

><p>"…son of a bitch…"<p>

It was real. The ground was cracked, shattered in places, as if someone had taken a sledgehammer and went wild. Grass was torn up, stems of flowers ripped and broken. Glass was everywhere, police tape covering the boundaries of the damaged area. The park benches, made of metal were warped and snapped in places.

Everything was just like they'd overheard.

"It's real…the girl was telling the truth…" the woman spoke, gobsmacked.

The bad feeling vanished. It was time to make a move. This was now bigger than any kidnappings. Now it was proven, there was a threat to their very lives, their very _sanity_. He'd been told what the starlet said, Wiseman was once human like everyone else, but staying so long in that horrid corrupted realm turned him into a monster, a literal demon. It was proven that lack of sleep, lack of proper _rest _had negative impacts on people's sanity. But till now, nobody ever thought that perhaps there was a specific type of energy we gave off while we slept. And losing that energy drove us mad.

Now, it was time to make a choice. These kids had been fighting for their lives, for _everyone's _sanity for the past couple years. Silently. Alone. They were the only ones who could actively _do _something about this…

"Listen. We keep this on the down-low. They don't know we know. Nobody knows we know. For us, it's enough, but for others, they'll want more proof. And we haven't been the best to that kid. He can apparently go back and forth between these places."

"The bullet. He did it to the bullet. He sent the bullet _there_. There was no wound on him, but it vanished." The man spoke, shocked. He remembered perfectly. Seth had held his hand in front of him, as if to catch it. And then it _vanished_. It made no sense, there was no blood no splatter it just poofed.

"We've fucked with him long enough. He could have pulled any of us to that place and left us to rot. We've been idiots about this, but here, we're in over our heads. If something happens, we step up and tell them we know. If not, we leave it. They know how to handle this shit, we don't. We see _any _of them vanish into thin air, we cover their asses. I damn near lost my badge cause we were dogging him. Shit I was _lucky _that's all I could have lost. I'll spread the word. I get word of _anyone _fucking with him just cause they think he did something, they're off the force."

"But…what if-

"He commits a crime, he gets the same punishment everyone else does. But until we have _proof_, we leave him be."

The two nodded. All three of them left the scene, all shocked to the core that a secret war was going on.

And not only was it being fought by children, but by a boy whom they all had hassled.

They'd be _lucky _if he decided not to let anything happen to the city…

As they left, one phrase echoed through their minds.

"_**It is the way of men, to make monsters. And it is the way of monsters…to destroy their makers."**_

* * *

><p><strong>AN: ** this is the last previously completed chapter I have written. The majority of the rest of this story is written in fragments. I've typed up a timeline for me to keep track of the order of events, and what's supposed to happen. Updates will continue to be whenever, but this will probably be completed within the next month or so. Possibly sooner.

Now we officially meet the mysterious boy. And he has a power. He can cross dimensions between reality and the Dream, but…why? He can see Ideya…but why? There is a definitive answer for both of those questions. and who knows, maybe the answer's already been given. But I'll say this: he won't be the _only _one capable of that, by the time this fic is done. Who else will have his ability? You'll see.

D&S Master: Astoria has always looked up to her sister. She's wanted to have a _talent _just like her. Maybe not singing, but something to call her own. That drive and wish, to find a calling, is enough to spawn a 'formed' Ideya of Desire. As for Comprehension…I cannot say if you are correct or not. The Resonance Reaction that Reala is referring to is basically Full Synchronization, or a Synchronicity Chain, between two or more people. Their minds and wills are completely unified under one belief, one focus. At the end of NiD, Claris and Elliot had one, when the other (because it depended on who you picked to go into the final stage with) appeared to assist in freeing NiGHTS from the final Ideya Palace inside Twin Seeds Tower. At that battle, Nights merged with Both of them, just like in the end of JoD, to battle Wiseman.

Wiseman was capable of creating barriers that could resist the combined strength of the Five known Ideya of the time. It required both Claris and Elliot at full strength, and completely unified in their wishes, to bust through, and even then it took a bit. Just the same, that barrier existed around him as well, and it took both of them to bring it down, even temporarily.

I cannot say if Zero Shinzaki will appear in this or not. Just know that Seth has some of his beliefs and mannerisms. Oh I have a lot in store for Claris, the whole cast actually. But you'll see as it develops. Naruto/Nights? Hmm. That'd be kinda interesting.


	5. Crossing Over

"I still don't think this will work."

Two days had passed since Seth and Astoria's return to the waking world. In a miracle of recovery, the marks on Seth's back faded into nothing over the course of the few days he was in the hospital. Unable to be detained by bad health or law, he was freed, while Astoria had since returned home. Claris, Elliot and Astoria had met him on the street as he was gathering groceries for the week. The two elder dreamers watched as Astoria gave him a strong hug, and grabbed three of the lighter bags from him, helping him with his load. Upon her example, the other two assisted as well, to his immense surprise.

The two teens spoke to him at length, on the walk back about their idea to 'borrow' his power to meet up with Nights and the other two dreamers that day. They apologized for not running it by him beforehand, but they admit they didn't know how to get in contact with him. He admit he didn't fully understand how his power worked, it tended to kick in either randomly, or when he really needed it to, but he relented that it wouldn't be too bad seeing that world without any threats hanging over his head. The group entered his home, assisting him in placing away his purchases, when he led them to the modest backyard.

However he was hesitant. He'd only went to that world a couple times intentionally, and never with anyone other than himself. He admit that returning with Astoria was…different, considering the odd circumstances surrounding their emergence back into the real world. Explaining to Elliot that he wasn't comfortable with just crossing over anywhere, he suggested his backyard.

"_Every time I came back, I noticed the ground around me seemed a bit scuffed, like something had scraped against it. I don't know if what happened with me and Astoria will happen again, so I figure back here, nobody will care. Assuming I can pull this off, of course."_

Astoria had full confidence in him, and that gave him a bit of hope.

"Just believe. You've done it loads of times before." Astoria pushed.

"Yeah but I was alone, or focused." Was the retort.

"Well even if you don't believe, I believe in you. You got us out of there, you can get us in."

"Correction _we _got us out of there. That was clearly both you and I working at the same time." Seth countered.

"Maybe, but it's _your _ability we used to do it. All I did was help push. And we're all willing to do just that." Claris and Elliot nodded behind her. Claris was a little surprised at how forward her sister was being. While not naturally reserved, actually the girl was quite outgoing, she kept a tight circle of friends, but never truly seemed to _open _up to any of them. Now, she's acting like this other guy's little sister. Or girlfriend.

"Alright alright…just…don't laugh too long if I mess up."

"You won't." She said softly. Gently she slipped her hand in his, surprising him. "We were basically clinging to each other when we came back. I figure, maybe just touching one another will help pull us through." She spoke.

"Gave more thought into this than I have…alright…where are we going?"

"Where have you been?" Claris asked.

"Uhh…the mountains…and that forest. That's it." Claris nodded, those were two worlds that she resonated the closest with. But they needed to get to the core, to the Gate.

"How good is your imagination?" She asked.

"_Never _describe a disturbing thing to me." Was the response. Claris tilted her head in confusion for a second. Elliot chuckled.

"That means he can come up with some serious details CS."

Seth nodded. "I can't draw for shit, but you give me a description and some time and I can map it out in my head. Can't bring it to life but I can _see _it."

"Oh that's perfect then. Alright, the place we're going to is called the Gate of Dreams. It basically looks like a floating island with lots of grass around the edges, and trees. It almost looks like a park, the walkway being white bricks lined with red. There's a fountain in the center with kinda bluish-green water coming out of it. And two big statues of kneeling women holding orbs. Around the edges of the brick walkway, arranged in a half-circle, are six grey archways with brown oak doors inside them. Each archway is at the top of a very small set of stairs. The doorways are in sets of three around the…northern edges of the walkway, with a long set of white marble stairs leading up to a second fountain ring, with nothing on it."

During her explanation, Seth had closed his eyes, trying to imagine the place she was describing. It sounded beautiful. Barely felt by him, but noticed by the three, a single tear rolled down his cheek as his heart constricted, pounding heavily in his chest. As the image in his mind formed, his consciousness trying to grasp onto the falling yet flying feeling of crossing between something shot through his mind.

"_**Daddy…come home. You promised, remember?"**_

An image of a small black-haired child filled his mind, the girl seeming to stand at the top of the long staircase Claris described.

"I promised…" he whispered, barely heard by the others, before the air around them seemed to shiver and distort. Before anyone could react, he had grasped onto that focus, not knowing why or where it came from, just that he felt as if he had made a promise to somebody, and that going back would fulfill it. They blinked, and in a soft ripple of air, and a low but powerful noise of cloth being torn, they vanished.

* * *

><p>"Seth…we're here."<p>

Claris' soft tones reached his ears, and he opened his eyes, wondering why everything was blurry. He wiped his face, surprised to feel moisture, wondering what the hell happened. _Was I crying? The hell would I be crying for? Ugh, none of this __**ever **__makes sense…_

He shook his head to clear it, and took in the sights. It was exactly like Claris had described. He saw movement above and noted a purple figure dropping from the sky. He felt Astoria's hand squeeze his, felt her body shifting to move behind him, the girl reminded of the man who had almost done _something _to her. The purple clad jester dropped from the sky landing softly, prepared to greet Claris and Elliot, Helen and Will landing behind it, when it noticed the _very _defined red and black intertwined glow around the new arrival.

"Um…hello?"

"Tch, back for more huh? Or are you a clone? Either way, I don't know what the hell you are or what this place is, or why she seems to be in on it, but I'm not letting you have Astoria. Not now, not _ever_." The glow seemed to intensify. The red gem on Nights' chest began shimmering faintly, a pulse of familiarity ripping through the 'Maren's body. Its eyes widened, feeling the pure _focus _that was around this boy.

"Whoa whoa! Easy there Seth!" Elliot jumped in the faintly glowing teen's line of sight. If he didn't believe the story before, he did now. Not only did this kid literally _warp _them into the world of Dreams, but he was _glowing, _ready to take on a First-Level Nightmaren for the sake of Claris' sister.

"That's Nights! Nights is a friend!"

"I gathered as much." Seth bit out, angrily. Elliot took a step back, surprised at the dangerous tone. "But whose friend, is the question. Same mind or body, they have a similar form, even if the colors are different. The first native I met in this place tried to kill me, I'm not very keen on giving them a second chance." As he spoke, the colored shimmer around his body began writhing like a snake, wafting off of him like a soft flame. Claris was astounded at the loyalty and ferocity Seth was displaying towards her sister. Astoria herself wasn't so much cowering anymore, seeing that the purple jester wasn't making any move, and seemed to look worried. She gently squeezed Seth's hand, getting his attention. He turned his head, showing he was listening but kept his eyes on Nights.

"If Elliot says it's alright…I believe him. Sis mentioned a person in purple, looking like a jester, to me when she explained stuff a couple days ago. I think that person is on _our _side."

"You're sure?" The glare was still leveled on Nights, who was resisting the temptation to grasp its chest, to try to relieve the pressure that was building within.

"Yeah. I'm sorry, I forgot that they had a friend who looked like that other guy. Seeing that one drop out of the sky like that just…brought me back for a second. I'm fine, really."

The glow began to subside, writhing black and red fading slowly. "If you're certain." Seth relented. Astoria responded by wrapping her arms around his waist and squeezing him tightly, burying her face in his back.

"Thank you." She mumbled softly. Seth seemed to sag a little, letting the girl do as she pleased.

"We cool?" Elliot said hesitantly.

"I'll withhold that assessment until later. _I _am personally fine. It's _her_ that I'm focused on." Seth spoke.

Astoria let go of him, before sliding out from behind him. "And I'm alright. It was just a shock, is all. You're Nights aren't you? Claris told me about how you helped her out of her nightmares."

With the ice broken, introductions got underway. Will and Helen had introduced themselves, defeaters of Wiseman the second time. Nights had introduced itself as one of Wiseman's First-Level nightmaren, to which the aura instantly flared up around Seth again, the feeling in Nights' chest, as if it was about to burst from within, returning; before it hastily explained that while it was born of Wiseman, and created to serve him, it rebelled, not agreeing that taking Ideya was how to keep the Realm going.

"How convenient." Seth growled out, glow weakening but not fading entirely, now on guard.

"I have to admit though, outside of maybe Claris and Elliot, I've _never _seen a dreamer with Courage quite as powerful as yours." Nights continued, pushing past the barb.

"…Courage? Ideya? Look I don't know a damn thing about what you're talking about." Seth spoke pointedly. He didn't yet trust Nights, an understandable reaction considering Reala, who had the same general shape, only more masculine, almost killed him.

"Oh that's right, we never explained any of that to you, did we?" Claris said, embarrassed from her oversight. What followed was a long explanation of the nature of the world, and how humans played into it.

"So let me get this straight. This Wiseman dude is the Lord of Nightmares…who is inferior in power to the Lord of Dreams, but either way he's been pulling people into his realm, and jacking their life-force in the form of mental energy, while they sleep?" he asked. Nods of affirmation were his answer.

"So why did he take Astoria?"

"Because she glows with Desire." Nights responded.

"When a dreamer first enters Nightopia, their Ideya swirls around them, manifesting in the form of colored orbs. They then fade as the dreamer settles in, the holders of strong Ideya giving off a very faint glow to the natives of this world. Reala must be looking for people with Black Ideya, and because the barriers between worlds are much weaker than normal, he's been pulling them fully into this realm to get at that energy easier. You can't see it right now, because it's not active, but Astoria's got a pretty defined black outline, chipped with traces of white and yellow. That means Desire is strongest in her, followed by Purity and Hope. She has traces of all of them, enough to make defined Ideya, but for some reason Black is the strongest."

"But we're not asleep. We came through…whatever power it is I have." Seth pointed out. Nights nodded softly.

"Yes, but she's still _human _isn't she? You're glowing too, but you've got all six shimmering around you equally. But back then, when you thought I was a threat, red and black flared up the strongest, dwarfing the others. Courage and Desire were prominent."

"That's what happened with the other guy too!" Astoria piped up. Seth raised an eyebrow at the girl.

"You started to glow red, just before you grabbed the chain and threw the table at him. And when he cut you, you shined black before he was blown away. And then when you were pinned down, you started shining black again, with red kinda mixed into it."

"Wait…" It just clicked. "You're Claris' sister…whom Reala took right?" Astoria nodded. "And you say…_holy crap!_" Nights exclaimed. "You two! You're the ones that gave off that distortion!"

"Explain." Seth growled. A soft shimmer of red began to flow around him.

"I remember, I was flying trying to maybe get heads or tails of where Reala was taking these kids, looking for Astoria. And then I remember there was this…pulse, throughout the world. If I'm right, I felt that pulse the exact same time you two did whatever it was you did to get away from Reala! That takes some _serious_ power! Even Wiseman has a hard time bending the laws of this world that much!"

"You mean it's never happened before?" Seth pushed.

"Oh it has. Just not as strongly. There's only four other humans I've encountered that could shape this world the way you two did, and all four of them are standing right here." Nights spoke. Will and Helen were surprised, Claris and Elliot were concerned, Astoria was intrigued, and Seth? He'd entered analysis mode.

…_Claris and Elliot. William and Helen. Me and Astoria. Pairs…constant pairs. Both genders. Male and Female. Never knowing anything about the other until meeting here. Both sharing similar numbers and strength of Ideya. Both taking on the denizens of the Nightmare. Up until Astoria and I, Nights was present and first on the scene for each party. For us, Reala was the first person we met here. But regardless, it was always someone __**tied **__to Wiseman._

Seth frowned, his silence worrying the others.

"Seth?"

_There's a pattern here. One male, one female. Both powerful dreamers taken with incredible nightmares. But Astoria and I haven't had…unless you count…but even then. It was my little trick that got her and I to meet, not some chance of…Fate._

"Clotho…" He muttered, glaring at the ground.

"Seth…what's wrong?" Astoria asked, slowly moving over to him.

_Two pairs every time. First rise, defeated by two people at fourteen. Second rise, defeated by two people at fourteen. Astoria is thirteen, I'm sixteen. That's a three year gap…maybe two, depending on when her birthday is. Two years, the exact amount of time he spent in between resurrections. Two times three is six, but that doesn't work because there's __**seven **__Ideya. But wait…there's…an extra._

Seth's head snapped up to Nights, who took a step back at the intensity of his stare. Nights' eyes widened as Seth's natural aura seemed to begin favoring the shimmer of Blue.

_That one. Nights. Nights was the key for Claris and Elliot. Nights was key for Will and Helen. But it was Reala who brought Astoria and I together. That makes Eight, which is still wrong. Unless…_ He continued to stare, ignoring the worried look Nights was giving Elliot. Ignoring its whispered question if Seth's actions were 'normal' or not. Elliot just shrugged.

_This one is…slender. Smooth. The other one was similar, but bulkier, defined, cut. Masculine and Feminine. Three male, three female. One Feminine Nightmaren, one Masculine. That's still eight. But they were made from the same template, that of a Jester, made from Wiseman. Combine the two together and you get one. That's __**seven**__. Six worlds, Six Dreamers, two Nightmaren, one Lord. The two Nightmaren were born from the one Lord, born of similar shapes. So they could count as One. That's still Eight, unless you cut the Lord part out. That goes back to Seven. Seven beings with unusual ties to this world. Seven beings, Seven Ideya._

"…wait…" Seth's eyes widened. _Cut Nights and Reala out. Didn't they say Wiseman was a Dreamer like us before he turned? That makes seven dreamers. It all comes back to that number. Seven Ideya, Seven dreamers. Six worlds…but Claris and Elliot said their battle took place in a mockery of their town. Same with Will and Helen. So technically, we could count __**our **__world as the Seventh. Three sevens. That's usually a lucky number. But then, you reduce that. Out of the Seven Ideya, only four are seen commonly. The fifth is rare but not the rarest. Desire is next rarest, with Comprehension being almost __**impossible **__to find. So Comprehension out, that's Six. Six Ideya, Six Worlds…Six dreamers. Could that pattern be a warning? Is there-_

"SETH!"

Immediately his thoughts broke, the sound of desperation in Astoria's voice cutting through his mind. Instantly, Nights' chest tightened, as a flare of black and red ripped into place around Seth, the boy picking up on the pressured decibels of Astoria's call, subconscious mind responding in worry. His eyes seemed to shimmer before his head snapped to her direction. The fierce glow began to subside as he stared into her worried eyes.

"What's wrong?" he asked, noting she seemed to be in no danger.

"I should be asking that!" She replied. "You spaced out entirely! What were you thinking about so hard?"

"Oh…sorry. I do that sometimes…when something big crosses my mind."

"Well it _must _have been!" The girl exclaimed.

"What was it?" Helen asked. She was _entirely _interested in how at any point Astoria seemed like she was in danger, his Ideya would flare up around him like a protective field. Helen wasn't the only one to notice the correlation either. Nights too saw the connection.

"I…was thinking about the pattern."

"Pattern?" Claris pushed.

"Yes…there seems to be a pattern in events." He told them of an abridged version of his thoughts.

"So you think all of this is connected by one strand of Fate?" Will asked.

"Maybe? All I know is we're dealing with a world that's existed for possibly as long as humanity has, if not longer. Stuff like this usually has significance of some sort." He shrugged.

* * *

><p>Shaking off Seth's revelation that perhaps a higher power was at work in bringing everyone together, Astoria had asked how it was that Will and Helen could fly. Seth mentioned it was probably because this was a realm of dreams, and people flew in their dreams regularly. From there, Nights and the others tried to teach Seth and Astoria how to coast the skies. Bringing them to Spring Valley, through one of the doors around the fountain, over the course of an hour, the group coached the two newcomers in the art of flight.<p>

Astoria took to it like it was nothing at all, her young mind letting go of any concept of fear, especially after being lifted by her sister, given the feeling of being weightless. Seth on the other hand, had a hard time with it. He didn't understand how it worked, and despite the others' protests, he fully accepted and admit that it was the way his mind worked, that stopped him from being able to do it properly. It was slow to him, like moving through a heavy force, to fight gravity. None of their explanations made sense to him, and even trying to focus on it being a realm with rules that were different from earth didn't work.

"You have to remember you guys, outside of Astoria and Me, you all either live here, or have _been _here for long enough for your subconscious minds to have accepted everything about this world. I'm chalking it up to Astoria just being gifted. But me, I think differently, I break things down. And right now my mind can't go farther than maybe shifting my sense of gravity, when it comes to this. Nothing makes sense, and because it doesn't make sense, I can't fathom it properly. It's like swiss cheese. The concept is there but it's filled with holes, blank spots. I just can't properly process how it works, and because I can't, and I _know _I can't, I can't do it."

He could hover though. Lifting himself wasn't possible, but he could delay his descent fairly easily. Moving forward was slow however. It was during one of his experiments, trailing behind the group, that a large distortion had appeared in the air in front of them. Nights recognized the shimmer, and told the group to scatter. Seth, of course, was the slowest, and just barely got hit by the spiked tail of a long green lizard-snake-dragon creature that gave a loud, bellowing roar as it emerged.

Gillwing, had returned.

However, even when Nights, Claris and Elliot tried to get its attention, tried to distract it, for some reason its target was the errant Seth, whom had allowed himself to drop to the ground. The dragon seemed to be smarter as well, for whenever Nights flew low, trying to catch it in a web of the strange sparkles that came from its finger-tips, the dragon would twist in a way that dodged the following rip in reality. It had now learned to evade the Paraloops that Nights and Claris had once wielded against it.

Nights yelled out its weakness for all to hear, its head could be popped off like a pimple if enough pressure was put on it, but it would regrow, reducing the length of its tail. A paraloop could sever a mass amount of the dragon at once, or they could whittle it down.

The dragon lizard gave a screech-roar at the boy, as he raced away from where it had slammed its gaping maw into the ground.

Seth had taken to making large leaps, unable to properly fly, but able to grasp the concept of weakening gravity's hold upon him. However as he landed from one of his bounds, after evading the dragon crashing into the plateau, the ground began to shake. The others were racing after them, Claris and Elliot coming from a different direction, having been separated from Astoria and the others. Seth's bounds covered just as much distance in almost the same amount of time as they did when they flew. Seth had an odd feeling as the ground rumbled, getting an idea that he knew exactly what was coming. He'd asked himself what he would do if he could burrow like that. He jumped away just in time to dodge Gillwing's form bursting from the rocky earth, sending dust and stone flying.

_Score one for thinking like a gamer! Dragon boss just got outplayed!_

The dragon looped around itself, tucking itself into a small ring, dodging the attempt at a paraloop that Will made, the boy hoping to help out. It ignored the child, racing for Seth's location. It slither-flew through the air rapidly, chasing down its prey. Claris darted forward, softly glowing a powerful but calm red as she flew, fist first, towards the green and blue beast. Seeing her about to pass him, Seth reached out, grasping her hand and pulling her to him, abruptly halting her momentum, and replacing it with his own.

Quickly arranging her so he was carrying her in his arms, supporting her legs with one and her back with the other, he continued his frantic pace. She looked at him, confused.

"What-

He shook his head.

"Not worth it! Take too long! Got an idea!" He shouted over the rushing winds, as he hauled-ass towards an unknown destination. Claris just stared at him, before glancing behind. The dragon was getting closer.

His focus was entirely on the path ahead. Racing along the grassy plateau, leaping over the occasional river, the girl's added weight to his own not slowing him in the slightest. Above, the others flew as fast as they could, keeping both dragon and target in sight. Elliot was worried for Claris. None of them had any idea what the strange world-hopper was planning. However, they were all growing fearful. They could see the valley entrance not too far from the two on the ground, and Seth was heading right for it.

_Just a little more…_

He pumped his legs as fast as he could. He could tell the dragon was getting closer, but so was he. Claris gave a soft squeal as he gripped her tighter, the girl absently looking forward, seeing how the ground just vanished. She gave a gasp of shock, before his grip loosened.

"FLY!" He yelled at her, shoving her upwards with all his might. Subconsciously Claris gripped onto the feeling that allowed her to stay aloft, her body instinctively moving with his push, narrowly evading Gillwing as it tore through the air, angling downward and chasing the black haired boy into the depths of the valley.

Pushing her had two points. The first, was to get her away from him. She could fly, and while he technically could…it didn't feel right, yet. The second point, was to get him to be falling faster initially. He streamlined his body, hearing nothing but the rushing sound of the winds in his ears, hair flapping behind him wildly. He _knew _the dragon was behind him. But that was all part of the plan. As he fell, a thought struck.

_Wait…what if I…_

His eyes widened as realization hit him. It would be tough, but there was something _else _he could do. Reaching forward, as the rocky cliffsides gave way to glittering crisp blue, he closed his eyes and pushed with all his might, internally screaming a desire to the world.

The water grew closer, and closer.

And just before impact.

He vanished.

* * *

><p>They saw a mighty splash where Gillwing hit the water. Claris wrenched herself from Elliot's grip, pushing downwards, wanting to find out what happened to their new ally. Astoria followed her sister, which led to the others following her. Moments later, a strange rippling effect seemed to appear in the air above the valley's river. Halting their descent, the group stared in shock as in a wave of green light, a massive shape appeared in the air, dropping into the river like a falling stone.<p>

Seconds after impact with the water's surface, the river seemed to light up like the sun, as thousands of blue-white bolts of electricity ripped across its surface. A shrill screech of agony was barely heard over the crackling and popping sound of jumping currents. A low hum echoed through the canyon, the screeches turning to low growls and moans, before tapering off. Slowly the pops and sizzles began to wane, until they stopped entirely. Two large shapes floating on the surface.

They all descended once again.

"Seth!" Astoria cried out, relieved.

The teen was sitting on the rocky river's edge, hair dripping, clothes soaked, but generally unharmed. He waved faintly to the group, before picking up a small rock, and throwing it at the unmoving Gillwing.

"W-what the-

Nights and Elliot stared in shock. Sitting in the river, was one of the gigantic magnets that seemed to have no purpose but be irritating and eyesores, from Stick Canyon. Helen gasped "Oh my. What is that thing?"

"A big-ass conductor, that's what it was." Seth answered, sounding tired, but proud.

"What the _hell _did you do?" Astoria demanded, hands on her hips.

"Well, see, I know you said that blowing its head off with enough force made it regrow another, at the expense of its tail. But then I realized, that'd take too long, and would give it time to adapt or grow a brain or something. I mean it was already scraping your little sparkle trick. We needed something quick, something that would shut it up right away. So I got the dumb idea to jump off that cliff and hope I survived hitting the water, and hope that _it _didn't. I figured, hey, the river couldn't be _that _deep, right? It'd smack its head into the ground, hopefully stunning it for…I dunno something? I honestly didn't think that far ahead."

He picked up another rock, and threw it at the dragon. It bounced off the beast's scales, and the dragon remained unmoving.

"So I jump off the cliff, and about halfway down, I get this wicked awesome idea." He continued. "I thought to myself, wait, I can shift between our world, and this one, so why can't I bounce between areas in _this _world?"

Nights' eyes widened as it came to understand what Seth was getting at.

"So I thought, if I could time it right, I could shift at the last second, to another part of this world, and grab something to shift back with me, that would help us kill the thing in one shot. And then I remembered what you guys told me about Stick Canyon. So just before I hit the water, I put every thought of mine into being at Stick Canyon, near one of the big magnets you described. Well, it worked. And then I held on to the thing, and focused everything I had on taking it _back _with me."

"And…and that worked!" Will exclaimed, awed by the sheer _cool_ factor of the idea.

"I know right?" Was Seth's response tired but elated smile on his face. "I totally thought it wasn't going to work, but I also knew I had nothing left to lose. I can't…I can't keep up with you in flight, so I knew out-flying the thing, as crafty as I am, would be impossible. So I had to think up something else. And I thought, electrocute the bastard."

"So…you dropped one of the still active magnets upon the river where it was…and fried it to death?" Helen spoke softly, slightly scared at the thought of having the same happen to her. Seth nodded.

"It was either that, or try to drown it. I mean, Wiseman made this thing right? So I figured he designed it to have a weakness in case he had to kill it himself, and he couldn't activate whatever standard 'instant-kill' button power thing he put in it, assuming he put one in. I mean I would if I was him cause sheesh, worst thing is having one of your own creations turn against you and you can't make it die with the snap of a finger or something…" Seth trailed off.

Nights gulped, realizing that it had gotten quite lucky.

"But anyway, like I was saying, he knew about this weakness, and even re-made the thing with the same problem. So I figured, if I was some big bad Lord of Nightmares, and I made a giant fuck-off dragon that could eat a tank, I'd make it so when it dies through the way I made it able to, I get its power back. So I thought, maybe if we killed off that thing in a _different _way, it would weaken him…or at least deprive him of an asset. And then I dropped the magnet on him." Seth concluded.

"But…how did you get it _off_? I mean, those things are pretty damn secure on there." Elliot asked, remembering his journey through the desert-like area.

"I dunno. I just thought of taking the thing back with me, and it seemed to work. I just, imagined enough of it coming with me that it would still hold a big charge to jolt up the area." He stretched, yawning.

"Damn…took a lot out of me though…"

"As well it should have! Do you have any idea how _scared _I was? I thought you were going to die!" Claris yelled at him, fire in her eyes. Seth's own eyes widened, not used to being concerned for.

"I…sorry?"

"You _better _be! Jeez next time you decide to try something suicidal at LEAST let me-I mean one of us, go with you in case it screws up!" She pushed. Elliot blinked, before giving a soft smirk. He _knew _that tone.

_Sounds like someone's got a thing for a certain sister-saver._

Seth muttered something, lowering his head.

"What was that?" Claris pushed further.

"I didn't want you to get hurt alright?" Seth snapped back, irritated. "Look you four, five, whatever, have been here before, you've done a bunch of things here that I've never even known was possible until now! Astoria and I _haven't!_ My first experience with this place was falling into it just before my parents died. _HER _first experience was being pulled and almost killed by Nights' not-brother! I know _**I **_at least can pop back and forth almost at will, so if anything goes _wrong, _**my **ass is covered! You guys don't _have _that protection! Especially not since we came here through _me!_ I didn't know exactly what I was doing but dammit my instincts have never led me wrong, but they only work for covering my _own _ass! All I knew was that thing wanted me or wanted me dead, and I wasn't going to let _any _of you get caught in my crazy suicidal plans! You're…"

He seemed to lose steam, before sagging. "…you're the first friends I've had in years, since elementary school. And right away we're pulled into what basically counts as a damn anime plot. I'm not about to lose my first friends in years, to some douchebag cockbat King of Mood Lighting who got his ass kicked twice already." He finished off, turning away, before throwing one last rock at Gillwing's corpse, as Claris sagged, heart filled with sadness at what her fame had unintentionally, and unknowingly caused him.

"Seth…I-

"**BREAAAAAH!"**

Suddenly, the dragon gave a deafening roar, beginning to rise. Astoria and Helen screamed in fear, Elliot yelled in shock, Nights swore, Claris gasped, Will took a step back. And Seth?

He got _pissed_. Hearing Astoria scream brought him back to the forest, back to her being on the table, back to Reala.

He was helpless then, but here…this time…he had access to something that could stop the threat.

The black and red glow illuminated his body as he pushed all of his desire into frying that thing all over again.

"Shut. **UP!"**

**BZZZZZZZZT**

"**REAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"**

Upon yelling at the dragon, the magnet glowed fiercely, appearing as if it had been re-charged fully, before the river exploded in a gale of blue-white electricity once again. The stench of fried ozone filled their nostrils as Gillwing thrashed around on the river's banks, screeching and squealing as its body was once again illuminated by the bolts of light. Finally it gave one last pain filled screech, before dropping limply to the ground once again. But this time, the bolts continued until its scales were blackened from heat. After a few moments of twitching, completely involuntary within the now truly dead dragon, the magnet's top ceased its glow, and the bolts began to recede.

"AND **STAY** DEAD!" Seth yelled.

* * *

><p>As they returned to the Dream Gate, Claris, Elliot, Astoria and Seth prepared to go back to the Waking World, Seth turned to the group.<p>

"Alright. Look, today we got something major done. But…" He sighed. "But from now on I don't think we should take the little ones."

"What?"

"But why?"

Were the responses from the younger trio. Seth held his hands up.

"Relax. It's not cause I think you're 'too young' or because I think you'll get in the way. Hell you're all more useful than I am right now. No…it's because one, we shouldn't travel in such a large group, and two, it's better if we leave some of us behind in our world, just in case shit goes wrong here."

"How so?" Astoria asked tightly.

"Well, if we all get captured here, who knows what Wiseman or one of his minions will do. But if only some of us get captured, we can get a warning and a cavalry cry out to the others, where they can plan and mount a rescue. Plus…if we fuck up and something goes wrong and we _don't _make it back, or wake up, or whatever…we're going to need people we can count on to finish things in our place." He explained.

The others were quiet.

"You've put thought into this." The Owl spoke.

Seth shook his head. "Honestly? Not really. I'm going by the edge of my pants. I pretty much thought that up on the way back. But it's logical, and how things work in media, and this world seems to be pretty flexible. If the whole group goes, the whole effort is at risk. If only half the group goes, that's less targets, though potentially less combat strength. Claris and Elliot are the seniors here, they've fought the longest out of all of us. Helen and Will took Wiseman down themselves as well, but they're younger, not _as _experienced. This is only Astoria's second conscious visit, and this is my first time actually _exploring _this place, and trying to learn its rules and secrets. We're the weakest links, but I can pop in and out pretty much as I please, while she can't."

He took a breath and continued. "If we have Will, Astoria and Helen stay behind, and keep an eye on things in the human world, Claris, Elliot and I can move around knowing we've got backup in case something goes wrong. And if someone gets captured, I can pop out and deliver the warning to the others, and from there we can return here, to the Dream Gate, and possibly cut off anyone's movements before they get too far."

The others nodded. The younger ones seeing sense in the plan. "We need you three as our safety net. Our fail-safe in case something messes up. Plus, this takes a lot out of you to do repeatedly. If _all _of us are constantly appearing tired and spacey, someone on our side is _bound _to figure out we're all up to something. And right now we can't have that."

"Alright. We'll play backup." Will spoke for the younger group.

Seth smiled.

"Ok, also, we shouldn't fall into a predictable pattern. We can't do this every day or night or whatever, we need to vary it up. Sometimes a few days in a row, other times every other day, and so on. This way, if he's somehow able to detect where we appear from, he doesn't have the foresight to send minions ahead to ambush us or something…again. Cause I really don't wanna know if Slitherface showing up was shit for luck or him knowing that we were there and sending that dragon after us…me…whatever." Seth added.

"You've put a lot of thought into that too." Nights spoke. Seth shrugged.

"For the first few months after the crash, the police kept tailing me everywhere. It was annoying. Despite the evidence, and the obviousness to my innocence, I guess they just wanted to nail me on something, have something solid to show for it. I was a mystery, and they didn't like it. So after a little bit, I started practicing on them. And when they got too close, I'd just pop here, and pop back somewhere else. They couldn't arrest me for anything, because they weren't doing it completely legally anyway. But after a while I got tired of it, and confronted the chief of police that if he didn't have his little dogs back off, I'd have the mayor revoke his badge and classification. Because technically they were harassing me. Plus I didn't like popping in and out randomly…made my head hurt and I _swear _if I'd taken one step further I'd have popped into a wall. Literally."

"I'm sorry…" Claris said softly. Seth sighed in response.

"Twin Seeds…doesn't have many celebrities. And those it does have, it treats like royalty. I was a mystery in the eyes of the town as a whole. My parents were basically the cause of your father's death, and I wasn't scratched in the slightest, not even at the crash site, when I'd been spotted in the car with them only moments before. Honestly I understand _why _they did it."

"It doesn't make it right!" Claris retorted. "Yeah, I was mad my dad was killed. And yeah, I'll admit, some part of me thought it was suspicious how you weren't injured in the slightest, but that part died quickly, when I realized it was a miracle _anyone _survived at all! When I realized that you _should _have been dead just like the others, yeah, I was a bit jealous, and yeah, I wondered why, just like everyone else. But when I also realized you'd lost _both _your parents, while I still had my mother and sister…it wasn't fair."

Seth smiled sadly, turning to the tree they stepped through.

"If only the rest of the school thought like you, yeah?"

* * *

><p>The two girls returned home, late afternoon, accompanied by Seth. The sun was beginning to set, sky a beautiful red-orange from the flaming sphere's illuminations. As they reached the house, Seth bid the girls goodbye, his task of making sure they made it home safe complete, before walking in the opposite direction. The girls stepped into their home, running into their mother waiting for them in one of the halls.<p>

"You've been out for a while." She quipped chipper sounding. "Have fun? You look a little…dirty." She blinked, concerned.

"Yeah we kinda ended up rolling around in the grass a bit. Elliot tripped into me and then we both jumped Story when she started laughing at us." Claris lied smoothly.

"Who was that?" Katrina asked, brushing her own red locks out of her face. She'd seen an unknown boy walking with them, before waving at them and leaving. Claris hesitated for a second, before answering.

"That was another friend. Seth Johnson." She admit.

Their mother blinked, recognizing the name, but not the face and name put together. But she'd heard about him. None of it good.

"Oh…I've heard some pretty nasty things about him…" She looked a little concerned.

Astoria's eyes narrowed at that statement before she scoffed, shaking her head angrily and pushing past her mother and sister muttering something about assholes. Before Katrina could even think of catching her, the girl seemed to speedily walk up the stairs and into her room where the door closed with a heavy thud. Katrina blinked heavily, a bit affronted by the reaction. She heard Claris' sigh, and turned to the girl as the teen motioned for her mother to follow her into the living room.

"Astoria's…pretty close to him mom." Claris said, the two sitting on the couch.

"Why would she-

"He was the one who saved her, remember?" Katrina's eyes widened. _That _was the boy who got her little girl back? Ooh…she'd just insulted him too, basically…

"Oh…"

"Mom…everything you've heard about him…it's all lies. Everyone hates him because his parents are…were…the reason…dad died…" Claris said softly. Katrina gasped.

"He's the survivor of that crash?" Katrina had _definitely _heard of him then. Lived without a scratch, came in from a completely different direction, even though people had seen him in the car only minutes prior, looking out the window.

Claris nodded to her mother. "He almost died saving Astoria, mom. He didn't even have to. But he followed her kidnapper and took him on. That guy was dangerous. Very much so. Astoria looks up to him, she's pretty taken by him it seems." Claris didn't mention that there was something about the teen that she found interesting. Nor did she mention her own feelings of guilt when it came to the actions of the denizens of the city. Nor did she say anything about his obvious loyalty to, and drive to protect her little sister.

"Isn't he…your age?" Katrina asked.

"Yeah…goes to the same school too. He keeps to himself mostly. But he's a really good kid, very kind and a good head on his shoulders. He kept that guy talking and made it so he could get Story out safely. Everyone's blaming him for what his parents ended up doing, but nobody seems to want to pay attention to the fact that they died too. He's all alone, been taking care of himself. He's got no other family, and till today no other friends."

"That's why…Story acted like that?" Their mom pushed.

"She likes him. How much I don't know but she definitely likes him. He saved her life. And we just spent the day hanging out with him and Elliot. They've been through hell together mom."

"I know I know…I get it. I messed up. I'll apologize." Katrina got up to go but was stopped by Claris.

"Give her some time ok? She…really hates the nasty things people have said and done to him. It really sounded like you were just like them, back there…she's not going to want to see you for a while. Just…don't push her right now, please? We've been to his place, so she knows where he lives. I wouldn't be surprised if she runs there if she feels too uncomfortable."

"She trusts him that much? A kid she just met?" Katrina was surprised.

"He saved her mom. And wouldn't let her go until she was back with me, until he had proof she would be safe. If someone did something like that for _me?_ I'd probably be the same way."

Samantha nodded, agreeing. "Think she'll come down if we order pizza?"

"Gonna try to bribe her down?" Claris smirked.

"Well, that and I didn't feel like cooking anyway so it works out twice." Katrina admit.

Claris giggled. "I don't know, but I'll tell her you're sorry and we're ordering out. We'll have to see what happens."

"She's…you…didn't change much…after your father died. She changed even less. But now…" Katrina looked pensive.

"She's got a close friend, in a guy two years older than her. A guy everyone hates for living instead of dad. Story…is the only one in this house that knows what it's like to be at the edge of death, and to have pure _luck _save you. Seth is the only person _near _her age that knows the same. She knows what people have done to him, knows what they've said, the hell they've put him through. She's…probably going to start cutting friends out of her life, if they badmouth him."

"Sounds like a possessive girlfriend." Katrina quipped.

"Tell me about it." Claris admit, a little jealous. "With me…with…with dad…it hurt. But…Story and I had something to focus on. Between the two of us I was always closer to dad. But Story…she was kidnapped…she could have been _raped_. And then Seth shows up, frees her and punches out the guy that did it, getting some knives in the back for his efforts. But he got them away. He's her lifeline now. We owe it to him for her being alive and pretty much untouched. When…when dad died, I had Elliot. Elliot was _my _lifeline. And even though we didn't work out, we're still close enough that the feeling is still there. You were dealing with your own feelings, and the legal crap, I was dealing with my feelings and my singing…and Story had nothing. We kinda messed up, but she kept trucking. Now she's had her own near-death experience, and found someone she can open up to about…anything really."

"He's that sensitive?" Katrina asked surprised.

"It's more like he has a very…interesting way of thinking. Very…open minded. Like, extremely, to the point where you'd think he was crazy until he explained something to you that made you understand it in a way you never thought of it before. You probably would have cried at how easily they worked together, how quickly they can pick up on each other's thoughts. We played team-tag and holy _crap _those two. It was insane, they covered each other's weaknesses perfectly. You'd think they'd grown up together or something. She followed every one of his directions without question, and whenever she called out to him, he knew what to do. Even Elliot and I couldn't do that." It wasn't a total lie. In trying to teach Seth to get used to the world, they _did _play a sort of aerial tag. And even though he couldn't fly very well, he and Astoria worked together perfectly.

"Almost like twins…" Her mother muttered. "All from just saving her life?" It couldn't be. It was impossible.

"They shared something, that day. Something powerful, something unexplainable. Something you or I would probably never understand." _Lies. I can…but…only because I've experienced something similar._ "You don't get it, I've never seen her _smile _the way she does when she's around him."

"Oh I think I do. The same way _you _did with Elliot." Claris flushed at her mother's teasing stare.

"Maybe." She said casually.

Katrina sighed. "We should invite him over. I wanna get to know the _real _man who saved my daughter, not the nasty rumors." And that was why Claris loved her mother. The woman was sixteen when she had Claris, and had Astoria three years later. But together, her and her father made a nice, stable life for them. And her mother was still a child at heart, able to grasp vaguer concepts that her father had trouble understanding so implicitly. She didn't always make the right choices, but she made the choices that kept them all happy.

_I wonder if Seth would see a stronger glow around her?_

"I'll tell Story to let him know. He might be a bit hesitant, but we'll work on him."

Katrina nodded. "Alright, let me order that pizza before it's too late."

Claris nodded and walked out of the room, heading for Astoria's domain. As she did, she didn't see her mother turn pensive.

"Seth Johnson…" _The Johnsons were always arguing…I remember I felt kinda bad for their son. And then they died…and he lived, mysteriously. The rumors I heard suggest he's a nasty little thing, some horrid little demon that causes trouble everywhere. But…not once have I heard of him ever truly being prosecuted. And if what Claris said is true, the police would have been on him constantly. So people were just spewing bullshit._

She grabbed the menu from off the refrigerator and sat down.

_And he saved Astoria. He saved my baby, and could have died doing it. I saw those marks on his back…those couldn't have been made by knives. Those were made by a claw. So he saved Astoria, who probably has a crush on him now because of it. He's all alone too…poor kid. The Johnsons were always well off, even though they were at each other's throats half the time. So he's probably living somewhat comfortably but…_

Her thoughts cut off, the woman dialing the number and placing her order. She grabbed a glass of water and sat back down on the couch.

_No family, no friends. Everyone in town treating him like a leper because of Claris' fame. Claris must be taking it hard. She usually doesn't stand up for someone for __**that **__long._ The woman gave a small giggle. _I wonder if she likes him too. After all, it's not every day you hang out with a guy who's willing to face down a madman for the sake of your sister. He looked a bit dirty but if they've been rolling around in the grass all day then I'm not surprised. He seemed pretty relaxed…_

She only saw him from the window, but she'd grown up in a family that liked to practice martial arts. She knew the signs of a fighter.

_But there was a tension around him. He was staring straight at me, as if he knew I was passing by. I wonder if that's what let him see the guy who took Astoria? Good senses then, if that's the case. He saved my little girl. And he's apparently __**not **__a vicious hellbeast like everyone makes him out to be._

She nodded to herself.

_I'll keep an eye out for him then. Sounds like he could use all the friends he can get._

The woman sighed.

_Sometimes…I hate Claris' fame…_

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Done. We learn a bit more about Seth, meet Claris' mother, enter Nightopia and even take out a re-created Gillwing! Not bad for a day's work.

Right, gotta clarify something. Astoria Sinclair is an OC, my own creation. Canon-wise, we know very little about Claris and Elliot except what's in the manuals. So I gave her a little sister, and created their mother. Katrina Sinclair is another personal creation. Kinda. The looks and occupations of the parents outside Will's father and Helen's mother are going to be created from me. So don't bother hunting for info about them because it won't exist till I make it.

D&S Master: and there you have it. Astoria is an entirely forged OC I made myself. As for Seth being like Zero…a lot of my male OCs tend to be like that. Then again, they tend to be either teenagers or fresh out of their teens too so... The city giving him shit for that is gonna be a big theme for the story. Something going on behind the scenes that ends up driving some of the more important plot points. It also helps illustrate what happens to the commonfolk that unknowingly and unintentionally get involved with celebrities. Claris never knew, and feels guilty because it's _her _fame that caused it, and he ended up saving her sister. She'd still feel bad if he hadn't, but it wouldn't be as focused, because he'd have no connection to her.

This also illustrates how strong connections to people can open their eyes to concepts and processes they'd not have seen otherwise. With Astoria, he saved her life at the risk of his own, and proceeded to further make sure she was safe till the very end. Even a child knows how important and dangerous that is, which is why most children are enamored with the concept of police or fire-fighters. He's like her security blanket, or a favorite teddy-bear that helps you fall back asleep after a nightmare. He's her Knight in Shining Armor that saved her from the Evil Wizard or whatever. And yeah, the cops are now seeing shit that's changing their minds. But it'll be slow.

archsage328: Glad you're enjoying it! I hope that continues. Yeah now that you mention it, that's a serious Digimon vibe there. For once, this story won't have useless/idiot adults. It's gonna be a bit of a message to parents. Hey, ramble away. Nights is an amazing game and it touched a lot of people. I've heard some later editions of games sometimes fixed a couple bugs or issues…but I gotta ask, were you using the exact same controller both times? If not, it might be that one is more worn and less responsive than the other.


	6. Fruits of Labor

"Daddy…I miss you."

A little girl with long black hair seemed to stare off in the distance. Pale skin shimmered in the moonlight, a red summer, thin-strapped dress fluttering behind her in the winds. Her feet were obstructed by the water's surface, the glowing stars reflecting off the ripples. Petals of gentle violet fluttered through the air, scattered about by the gentle breeze.

* * *

><p><em>Ok…now that I'm here…what can I do?<em>

Seth stood on a plateau of Spring Valley. Recognizing his failures, his inability to move as freely as the others, Seth took it upon himself to correct that oversight. Surrounded by greenery, crisp waters flowing around the island containing a single gigantic tree to his left, he scanned his surroundings closely.

_I know I can teleport around different areas. I know I can come and go as I please. I can defy gravity like they do but…it doesn't feel natural._

His problem was flight. The others had grasped the concept easily, while he hadn't, though it had always been his heart's desire.

_It doesn't feel right. They got the chance to meld with this world. They came here naturally, through their dreams. I never make it here. I just run into that girl constantly, always the same damn nightmare. Either that or that big grey ball. Even Astoria got the hang of it easily but me…I __**know **__I think too much. I can push and pull and lift but its jerky, awkward. I can't flow like they can, not like that. I just keeps feeling like there's something __**missing**__. Something I'm not getting, or maybe it's something I don't have, I dunno._

So he came here, to either rectify that, or come up with something completely different. He squared his shoulders, looking down at the large hill he'd scaled.

_At the least, I need to practice. Get used to being in the air and __**not **__being about to die. I can go from there._

He nodded to himself, before stepping back slightly. Clearing his mind of all doubt, _knowing _he could at least float, he raced forward, and leapt off the hill.

* * *

><p>"Daddy…please come home…"<p>

Suddenly, the sky turned blood red, the moon turning black. The water became thick black goop. The girl's dress was in tatters, hair frayed and wild. Fire caressed the horizon, shadows of jagged forms racing across the skies. The air seemed to pop and fizzle. The now bloody sky became cracked with black lines, waves of dark light wafting through the seams. Thunder roared as bolts of blood red lightning shot from gathering angry violet clouds.

Gliding had come easily to him now. He still couldn't lift himself, but he could effortlessly reduce the speed of his descent, and even turn it into a slight hover.

_It's like in Kingdom Hearts. I can't fly like Peter Pan, but I've got the Superglide upgrade. Gravity is weaker, but still pulls me downward. But unless I let it, it can't make me land, and if I'm moving, the resonance in opposites pushes me forward pretty damn quickly._

He stood on the beaches of Splash Garden. Water park behind him, strange floating spheres of crystal blue ocean suspended around, some of them containing fish, others just water. He wiggled his toes, slightly allowing himself to goof off while he thought.

_Since this is a reality all its own, yet not ours, stuff like water exists, but it's only wet because we think it should be. Elliot told me that Nights could slip through the water, turning into a fish-like form as an adaptation trait, but it was only to propel itself forward faster. Water may not be wet, but it's still denser than air. But for that matter, Air doesn't really exist here either. I'm sure, if you believed you needed to breathe, and you found yourself in a situation where your breath was supposedly cut off, you would suffocate._

_But…what if one were to stop specifying __**what **__was required to be inhaled in order to continue living? Maybe…I could change it so I can breathe air, __**and **__water. After all, water __**does **__have traces of oxygen…_

He stepped lightly towards the water's edge.

_But that can come later. Right now, I need to focus. I can glide, so now, lets see if I can water-walk. Maybe if I get the hang of this, I'll try Air-Stepping next. If I can figure those out, maybe I'll be able to fly like them…_

He took a step forward, concentrating on _not _displacing the water around him. He closed his eyes, looping the thought in his head, trying to form the image of himself standing on empty space, ripples beneath his feet but not touching any other part of his body. Continuously, he took more steps forward, feeling the water caressing his toes, but still feeling grains, as if he were still stepping on sand. Unconsciously he opened his eyes, trying to hold onto his thought.

And then he fell in.

Rising, sputtering and wiping his eyes, he found himself much farther out than he expected. It would seem he had succeeded. Partially.

"This is gonna take a while…"

* * *

><p>"Please daddy…don't let the bad man hurt me anymore…"<p>

The girl's head turned, the vision focusing on her face, as twin long red streaks dashed down her cheeks. Tears of blood dripped onto the surface of the disgusting liquid she was standing in. The moment they did, six long arms reached up from the pool of darkness. Wicked looking hands ending in claws wrapped around her arms and legs, carving into her flesh, blood bubbling up and pouring out of the wounds in rivets. As they had shot by her, the claws slashed up her dress, leaving it in tatters, her body exposed. The demonic limbs pulled, jostling the girl before she was forced straight down, the arms pulling her into the depths of the murky pool.

* * *

><p>The strange being was back again. It felt like a dreamer, but different at the same time. Smelled different too. It seemed to be…practicing. As if trying to make this world its home. Humans have no place controlling this world so freely. But his Ideya were strong. Silent, but strong. They did not continuously shine like the others did. In fact, it was as if he were somehow connected to those two…that boy that blew him up last time.<p>

It decided to see how this one would fare against it.

A soft growl echoed…

* * *

><p><em>This…is new<em>.

Seth found himself in a darkened location. The sounds of clanking machines, rotating pistons filled the air. Barely he could make out many giant blocks of metal, rotating gears shifting around. Wooden planks and walkways, stone walls and metal bars filled the room. He stepped forward, leaning over the railing to see a darkened abyss below.

_I don't remember them talking about this place…_

He stepped away from the railing when a clatter was heard. Seth whirled around, eyes taking in every detail.

There was nothing.

_Something isn't right here…alright…first rule of horror movies. Check the walls._

He walked over to one of the stone walls, keeping an eye out for anything unusual moving, shadows dancing, insects, anything. Seeing nothing, he touched the wall. It was cold, as he expected it to be. He pushed gently, tapping and poking, but nothing out of the ordinary happened.

_Well unless this is some sentient demon house that knows the tricks, walls are fine. Alright…lets see…_

He began looking around, moving crates hidden in alcoves, stumbling back when a few spiders ran out from behind them. Shuddering lightly he turned around. _Even if something was in there, I'm NOT touching those things._

A soft thunk was heard near him.

…_shit._

He looked ahead, gently turning his head left and right to increase the range of his peripheral view. Seeing nothing, he concluded it must have been behind him. He took a deep breath and then jumped forward, ducking low and whirling around at the same time.

Behind him, perched on one of the wooden planks above, was a big, black cat with red tiger-like stripes. Strange blue protrusions emerged from its back, as if fins, or wings of some sort. Its paws were the same blue as the odd emergences, ending in blood red claws. Its eyes were big and red, teeth bared as its fangs glistened in the flickering light. Seth stepped back slightly, a bit afraid but also not wanting a needless confrontation.

"Uhh…hi. Listen, sorry if I touched something I wasn't supposed to. I _really _don't know where I am and…well horror movie instincts took over."

His answer was a soft but defined growl.

"Look, I'm not supposed to be here. Both of us know that. So I'll just be going ok? I mean, there's no sense in bothering you or your home further."

The cat seemed to arc forward, hind-quarters raising in the air, as if ready to pounce.

"Listen, really, I'm not here to-SHIT!"

The cat pushed forward, Seth ducking low as it sailed overhead, claws extended. _Fuck, this is that Clawz thing Elliot mentioned! I thought it was dead! Dammit I guess that Drab Lord must have brought __**him **__back too!_

Seth vaulted over the railing, dropping down to a walkway below, before racing forward. _Shit shit shit! And I didn't practice my ports yet! That was going to be today!_ A loud screech of irritation caused him to stop moving and jump to the side, where the black blur of Clawz ripped through the air, slicing into his arm. Seth yelled in pain, and clutched the wound. _Oh great, if this is anything like a normal cat my arm's gonna be going numb soon. Wonderful._

He stepped back again as the cat turned around and swung its long arms at him. He swung his head back, dodging one swing, but sent up his un-injured arm to try to block another. Unfortunately for him, while it was indeed blocked, the force of the blow made his arm buckle, and it was shoved back towards his chest. As that happened, the claws tore into his skin once again, ripping straight down. As before, still not used to taking sharp objects sliding under his flesh, Seth cried out, feeling a large pressure building in his chest, before a massive flare of black erupted from his body, flinging the cat backwards.

As the Nightmaren was launched Seth had a thought. _I've __**really **__got to figure out why that keeps happening._

When Clawz hit the wall, Seth held his arm limply at his side, before jumping off the railing once again, gliding down to a lower part of the tower. Ducking below a rotating piston, he focused everything he had on changing his sense of gravity. As he did, he felt himself get pulled towards one of the walls, where he angled his legs to catch him, before racing down, jumping onto and over gears and ducking under planks and rods. The clicking-clattering noise of nails hitting stone told him Clawz was right behind him. Seth jumped, leaping for a horizontal piston, grasping it like a gymnast on uneven bars, and swung himself to the opposite wall, evading Clawz' lunge.

A loud growl and an angered screech later, Seth's head shot up as he heard an odd sizzling noise. Immediately after, a series of whistling sounds, like bottle-rockets being launched, echoed through the air. His eyes widened as no less than ten glows appeared above him, eyes barely picking up vague, mouse-like heads, as rockets about half his size were launched from _somewhere_ directly at him.

_What._

He whirled around and ran, converting his pull to the walkway, landing on it, but underneath, where he watched the rockets shoot past. He breathed a sigh of relief, as half of them impact the walls and exploded…but then the others seemed to bank up, and turn around.

_Oh come on!_

He cut the link, letting himself drop as the make-shift missiles raced for him. They all crashed upon the spot he was once standing, sending shrapnel and flaming bits of wood and splinters flying. He covered his face with his less injured arm from the explosion, the force sending him down further, where his shoulder slammed into an iron piston, before he bounced off and landed on another wooden walkway. _Fuck. Fuck. Fuuuuck fuck fuck FUCK!_

There wasn't pain. But there was a massive discomfort, a feeling of _**WRONG**_ where his right shoulder was. He reasoned he'd dislocated it, and braced himself. He tried pushing it back, but nothing. He wasn't strong enough. More like his left arm was too weakened by the slice from earlier. Stumbling over to a nearby wall, he pulled back, and slammed his shoulder into it. He yelled even louder in pain as the feeling returned to his arm, able to move it again, and _every _nerve lit up at once. Uncontrollable reactionary tears of pain streamed down his cheeks, as he gripped his right arm, trying to will the flaming agony away.

A growl from above distracted him, as Claws pounced again. Seth barely moved to the side, receiving a slice in his back for his efforts, as the heavy Nightmaren crashed through the flimsy wooden planks, pulling Seth with him. _AGAIN with the back!_

After falling for a bit, the two slammed into cold steel, Seth coughing out a small mouthful of blood, while Clawz just gave a loud yelp and a soft wheeze of pain. _Cats always land on their feet my __**ASS! **_Seth shakily thought to himself. He could feel exhaustion settling in from the loss of blood and repeated jolts of pain. Today **sucked**. His vision was growing darker, body trying to slip into unconsciousness, to heal itself, when he blinked. Before his eyes, near a large gothic looking arced window, surrounded by black painted stone, torches lit and flaming next to it…

Was a little girl.

She stood on top of one of the many odd mouse rockets staring at him.

"_**Daddy…"**_

She stared at him, forlornly. Her gaze pierced his mind, chasing away the exhaustion. Their eyes locked, remaining connected to one another for what felt like an eternity, before she seemed to beckon him to her. As she did, she turned around, red dress floating upward slightly, hair fluttering with her movements, before she seemed to fade towards the window. Hearing panting behind him, and another growl, Seth pushed himself to his feet, ignoring the pain in his arms and back. He stumbled, before Clawz seemed to make a strange spitting noise. Suddenly a series of hissing, sizzling noises echoed through the odd chamber.

Seth knew what that meant. And surrounded by so many of these things, he would be killed, no doubt. _Death by fire, or death by massive impact. Hmm…well at least I can __**try **__to evade the massive impact._

He ran forward, weaving around unlit rockets that _would _light as he passed. Clawz seemed to be racing after him, bounding along the rockets just before they flared up and launched. Seth jumped onto the windowsill, before leaping once more and curling up. Unseen to him, but noticed by Clawz, his body flared red, coated in an ethereal shell of Courage, as he smashed through the _very _clean and completely unnoticeable glass. Shards sliced into his arms and legs as he began to drop. He felt the wind pushing into his body, fluttering his tattered jacket and shirt, hair flying behind him, wounds stinging from the cold. The tower he was in seemed to be surrounded by dead, charred forest, a disgusting green-tinted moat around it.

He didn't want to land in the water.

Hearing a screech of rage, Seth turned around, seeing Clawz jumping after him. Shocked, in pain, afraid, not knowing where he was, and not wanting to die or drown, Seth did the only thing he could think of.

He squeezed his eyes shut, tensed his entire body, and screamed in his head the first thing that came to mind, whenever he thought of his odd ability to warp to and from, and around the Dream Realms. As he did, his heart was filled with a cry for help, a desire to flee to safety, somewhere he could rest and recover.

But is problem, was that he didn't think of going _home_.

_CHAOS CONTROL!_

* * *

><p>The day had been...interesting, Helen would conclude.<p>

After the events leading her to defeating Wiseman alongside Will, she'd broken down and cried her insecurities and worries to her mother. Samantha Cartwright just held her daughter tightly, understanding exactly why Helen was doing what she was doing.

"_I was your age once too. I had friends like you do, and I focused on them just like you did. Don't worry Helen, I'm not upset. I haven't been at all."_

_**Helen looked at her mother, teary-eyed.**_

"_Ok maybe a little." __**The woman admit.**__ "But only because I was worried for you."_

So from then on, Helen properly balanced her time between violin duets with her mother, and hanging and goofing off with her friends and Will.

Today, she had done both. She invited some of her friends over to hang out, and get front row seats to the two Cartwright's skills. After serenading the group with elegant tones, they all went to the nearby shopping center to drool over their favorite things, as usual. Her mother never lost her smile, seeing her beautiful little girl so happy once again. The group had stopped for lunch and ice cream, chatting away about numerous subjects.

As they were walking back, preparing to return to the Cartwright home…is when everything changed. The perceptions of everyone tied to Helen, were about to be blown wide open.

A clatter came from the alleyway ahead. The small group stopped, thinking perhaps a stray cat or dog was about to dart out.

What they didn't expect, was to see a battered and bloody teenager stumble out.

Helen's eyes widened in shock. She _recognized _the design on that jacket!

"Oh my god, Seth?"

The teen's head snapped to her so quickly it _must _have hurt. Surprise, and fear were written into his features. The small crowd passing through the streets stopped as they all beheld the bloodied teen.

"H-Helen…?" He asked, sounding confused, as if testing the name for the first time.

"Seth, what happened to you?" The girl cried out, stepping forward in concern.

"No!" Fear became prevalent in his features, mutating into abject horror.

"Helen! Get out of here! You have to run!"

The crowd began to grow denser as the boy's tone became near hysteric.

Confused, the girl hesitated. "Wh-what?"

"Just run Helen! If I'm here that means-

He cut off, as he whirled around, facing the alleyway he emerged from.

"Oh…shit!"

Suddenly a black blur slammed into him. Gasps and screams rang out from the growing crowd, as what appeared to be a massive feline with long red claws attempting to rip into the skull of the brown skinned teenager. He barely held the thing at bay, the group seeing his arms shaking in the struggle for dominance. Helen's eyes widened as she immediately recognized the form of 'Clawz', the Catlike Nightmaren that Elliot described he and Nights defeated long ago. Struggling against the pull of her mother, and ignoring the screams of her friends, she immediately fished into her bag for her cell phone.

Upon pushing two buttons, she held the phone up to her ear. Her mother, Samantha believed that she was calling for the police, or…whoever could deal with whatever that thing was.

She was proven wrong, two seconds later.

"WILL!" Helen screamed into the phone.

"_Elle?"_

"Will! Whatever you're doing, stop and get over to Bellbridge Mall right now!"

"_Elle? What's wro-_

"Dammit William get your _bloody _arse to the mall **NOW! **Seth just showed up and there's a _bloody Nightmaren trying to rip his head off!_"

She slammed the phone shut, before pushing her bag into her mother's arms. Absently noting Seth barely managing to fend the Nightmaren off, the two still struggling for dominance, Clawz' feet barely keeping the teen's legs pinned underneath, Helen used the distraction of shoving her bag at her mother to reach down and grab the violin case the elder had dropped. Flicking the latches open, she pulled out the wooden construct, gripped it tightly and ran forward.

"HELEN!"

"Get…OFF!" The girl screamed, not noticing the faint red glow around her hands as she swung the violin with all her might. The wooden instrument crashed into Clawz' head with a loud **CRACK** and the demonic cat was sent flying off of Seth, towards the crowd that had now backed up. Surprise, fear and awe were on all of their faces as they beheld Samantha Cartwright's daughter _smash _her violin into the head of a demonic looking feline.

She reached down and helped Seth up.

"I was practicing. I didn't want to be useless anymore." Seth spoke, taking shuddering breaths. He'd lost a lot of blood, obvious by the signs of his tattered clothing and red marks. "That thing…Clawz, it found me, somehow. Pulled me into the Nightmare. I tried to fight it off, but when I couldn't I shifted. I didn't mean to come here, I didn't even know I could!"

"We need to get you to a hospital." Helen said, calm voice betraying her feelings. "After that we can-CRAP!" She shoved him away and whirled around. Clawz had gotten up and began charging at the two, hissing angrily. Seth stumbled backward, falling on his rear as Helen dashed towards one of the stores.

"Helen!" He called out, powerless to help.

The girl ran right at a large glass window showing some of the store's wares, many shoes of different shape and size. But it wasn't the store she was concerned with.

_If he somehow brought a Nightmaren here, that means they can exist in our world. And if they can exist in our world, that means the worlds are closer together than we originally thought. And if that's the case, that means some of Their rules should apply here!_

It was with this thought that she raced headlong towards the window. But rather than crashing through, or bouncing off like everyone expected, she planted a foot onto the glass.

And then another.

To everyone's pure shock, the blonde girl _defied _the laws of gravity and ran up the glass pane, before springing off it like a diving board. The demonic cat was running full tilt, and failed to slow in time. Thus, the exact moment she pushed off, Clawz slammed headfirst into the glass, shattering it and flying into the store. Using her experiences in the other world, Helen threw her full weight behind her, flipping backward and coming to a stumbling landing.

Everyone, including her mother and friends stood _gaping _at the acrobatic feat. Her friends had no idea she had done any form of gymnastics or martial arts, and her mother had no clue where she learned that tactic. She barely had any time to congratulate herself on her completely idiotic but awesome idea, when Clawz came tearing out of the store, leather, cloth and rubber flying as it raced towards the annoying human that dared impede its hunt. Swinging a long arm up, it slashed at her with all its might.

Helen's eyes widened, and for a second, she thought her head was going to be lobbed right off, when an undecipherable instinct came over her. She yanked her head backward, feeling the wind passing by the tip of her nose as the Nightmaren's namesake barely missed her by a hair's width. Enraged, the cat went with the momentum of its first swing, angled its other arm in a reverse motion and pivoted on its heel to swing its other claw around. Helen ducked narrowly under that one, the claws slicing off a few hairs, before she threw her weight and arms back.

The motion was made and allowed her to evade another swipe, this one from below sliding up, trying to catch her vertically. Her torso seemed to crunch inward slightly as she tightened her stomach, legs flying up over her head, arms bending to compress her form. Muscles coiled tightly like a snake, and subconscious mind grasping heavily onto the familiar sensation inside her heart that had allowed her to fly in Nightopia, she sprung off the ground, over the Nightmaren's head as it lowered its stance, sweeping a claw along the ground to catch her. She twisted in mid-air, in time to see Seth come running in, smashing Clawz in the face with her already broken violin.

Covered by the same red glow she was, once again the Nightmaren was sent stumbling backwards by Seth's assault. Helen was honestly impressed. He must have been in considerable agony due to his wounds, but he seemed to not even notice them, as he grabbed the violin by its strings, and began whirling it around like a nunchaku, repeatedly smacking the cat demon in the face and torso. It only stopped when the 'maren lashed out, slicing through the remains of the violin and almost lopping off his fingers with it. Seth reeled backwards, stepping quickly and lightly to evade the follow up swing, before he was stopped by a lamppost. He ducked low, the Nightmaren's claws slicing through solid metal, causing the post to topple over. Seth rolled out of the way, a feat that _definitely _sent jolts of pain through his body.

The act of pausing to try to re-center himself allowed Clawz to get atop him again, forcing him to struggle to keep from having his chest caved in by the large animal-monster. Helen took this moment to race up, taking a chunk of the violin and jump on Clawz' back, repeatedly stabbing the beast with the splintered wood, before Clawz flung its weight backward, swinging and smacking the girl in the chest. Wind knocked out of her, she was sent flying by the larger creature's strength.

"HELEN!" Her mother screamed out. Not just because her daughter was just struck by a _demon _twice her strength and weight, but because the girl was now arcing towards the broken lamppost, the metal object sliced in just a way that the remainder lodged into the ground had a nice, sharp point. One that was prepared to pierce the girl's back, and end her life. Seth saw this too, and horrified, he wanted to _shift _to her, but didn't know if he could bounce between places in reality like he could the Dream.

"**HELEN! FLY!"**

The girl came to her senses, feeling the air passing by her in a manner that signified falling. She didn't understand why Seth would command such an impossibility. But his tone suggested abject fear and worry. Somewhere in her subconscious, the part of her that was aware of _everything _that was around her, awoke. She began to recover, feeling the presence of a large object behind her. Her body became flooded with the familiar sensation of touching her Ideya, the power that gave her the courage to face fear, and defy logic.

Helen's friends covered their eyes, not wanting to see their classmate get skewered to death. Helen's mother squeezed her eyes shut, unable to look as well.

Gasps rung out, causing them all to cautiously gaze at the scene.

Body arced in a way that _should _have been painful, feet not touching the ground…

Helen floated, inches away from being impaled.

The girl turned her head, and her eyes widened comically as she realized _exactly _why Seth was so frantic.

_Oh…oh my. That…wouldn't have been pleasant._

"Shit! Helen! Move!"

Her mind snapped back to reality, seeing the black blur that was Clawz, barreling towards her. For a second, fear overtook the backwards logic that she was _flying and thus could easily evade him_, and she stared, motionless. The cat leapt, Seth stumbling but leaping after it. Her pupils dilated at the sight of the gleaming red claw about to cleave her in three.

When the Nightmaren was halted by a white blur slamming into its side, knocking it off course and into another store.

* * *

><p>He didn't understand what she meant. How could a Nightmaren be <em>here?<em> And for that matter, how could _Seth_? But she sounded afraid.

And angry.

Scared Helen he could deal with. Angry Helen?

She was scary enough when she was determined.

But as he arrived, father behind him, boy pumping his legs on his bike, father doing the same, not understanding what was going on, only that his son was called by the Cartwright girl, yelled at, and then took off; Will saw what she was yelling about.

And _damn_ was that an ugly cat.

But when he saw it about to cut Helen in two, he reacted. He did the first thing he thought of.

Score.

* * *

><p>"Will!" Helen exclaimed, shifting herself so she was now dropping to all fours before getting to her feet.<p>

"Damn kid, nice shot." Seth spoke, impressed.

"Thanks. What is that thing?" Will responded.

"Clawz. I made a random jump and ended up here…somehow bringing him with me." Seth spoke, popping his shoulder. He felt his entire body tingling, arms and legs bleeding slightly, the itchy irritating feeling of flesh becoming slowly infected by impurities.

"What happened to the others?" Will asked.

"Not around…I've…been doing some personal training. Trying to be more useful. Stupid thing found me somehow."

A growl cut their conversation short.

"William, what is-

"Dad. Get back."

"Will-

"DAD!" His father stopped. "Get _back_."

"Now William you listen-

Another growl turned into an angered screech.

"Shit! Split up!" Seth grabbed Helen by the waist and leaped to one side. Will whirled around and shoved his father with all his strength before doing the same. The angry Nightmaren slammed into the truck that they had gathered near, denting it heavily and causing it to topple onto its side. It growled again and started racing towards Will.

"You've got the Hate kid!"

Will scoffed, racing towards the cat and sliding under its lunge. "Thanks for the update!" he called back sarcastically.

_If the Nightmaren's here, that means the worlds are coming together faster than we thought. But that also means we have an advantage. Stuff might be more like There now._

Clawz ran at him again, only to be knocked aside by Helen's glowing fist. Dazed but angered further, the cat whirled around and started swinging at her once again. The girl threw her weight back and in an impressive series of handsprings, ending with her leaping up and spreading her legs, letting Seth dash under her and tackle the creature to the ground before bouncing up and jumping away, she dodged every swipe. Will followed up by reaching behind him and throwing off his backpack, grabbing a spare soccer ball he always kept with him, when he and his father went out.

As Clawz got to its feet, he looked at Seth and Helen who nodded at him.

"Hey kitty!" The Nightmaren turned to him, only to get another ball to the face, courtesy of Will's foot. The ball bounced up, and Seth raced for the cat, punching it in the maw once more, before using its face as a springboard to leap up, much higher than he _should _have been able to, grasping the ball and flinging it towards Helen. The girl raced along the ball's flight path, before raising her arms and bouncing on her feet, pushing herself forward. She did a front flip before springing off the ground and twisting violently, building momentum to lash out a foot. The kick, powered both by the spin and her own red Ideya flaring up once again, sent the ball rocketing at high speeds towards the cat, where it slammed into it from the side, causing the Nightmaren to buckle over.

Seth landed in the path of the ball's rebound and swung a fist, punching it back at the cat, where it bounced and he leapt up, spiking it back down, before landing and kicking it back into the cat's face. With the final spike, the Nightmaren lashed out, knocking Seth back where he spread his arms out after recovering from the blow, and coasted to a stop right between Helen and Will. The cat, bruised and battered, with lacerations decorating its fur, let out a horrifying screech of pure rage. The crowd covered their ears as the very air shook from its cry, windows, light-bulbs, even coffee mugs shattering from the frequency.

However, in its rage, it failed to take into account one, specific thing.

* * *

><p>Seth was tired. He was cut up, he was aching, hungry, wanted a bath, wanted a <em>nap<em>. Today went nowhere the direction he wanted it to go, his arm was messed up, he was in constant pain and this stupid black cat demon was stopping him from going home and resting. This damn thing, had jumped him out of nowhere, and forced him to put in danger two of his friends, even though they were only thirteen.

He was pissed.

And as the Denizens of the Nightmare were soon to learn. A pissed Seth, is a _dangerous _Seth.

* * *

><p>A foreign feeling built up in the two of them. They saw Seth shaking, the two of them barely able to withstand the sonic roar of the Nightmaren. Something bubbled deep inside. A primal, untapped instinct from days past.<p>

Suddenly Seth began growling, the growls becoming a solid yell of defiance. Arms at his sides, fists clenched, he screamed his rage and pain to the heavens. Unconsciously, the two children next to him echoed his yell. Just as the winds kicked up around Clawz, turning into a wave of pressure that shattered fragile objects around it, the same winds began flaring up around the three. Only for them, the ground beneath them began to crack and splinter. Fierce glows suddenly erupted into place around them, all three of them beginning to shimmer in wisps of pale red and tendrils of black intertwined. Their Ideya was beginning to be displayed to the naked eyes of unawakened humans, the barriers between worlds weakening by the second as the three of them reached deep within their very beings for the strength to destroy the demon before them.

All of that desire, all of that focus united, all three of them sharing the same wish.

For while Clawz was one, they were three, unified in one **desire.**

The two forces collided, with the shockwave emanating from Seth, Will and Helen overriding that of Clawz. The crowd could _see _the two waves of air crashing together, the air twisting and rending with the unified front of the three slamming into Clawz like the fist of a god. The cat was launched into the air, where Helen and Will immediately stopped yelling and _tore _after it, ground shattering beneath their feet, streams of sparks flying in their wake.

But Seth kept screaming.

The air curled around him, a sickly black glow coming from beneath his skin, bubbling out from his wounds, echoed by red, before gathering behind him, spreading and flaring outward like a pair of pitch black ghostly wings. A final shockwave ripped into the ground around him, as the glow seemed to solidify slightly, before the 'wings' flapped and he took to the skies after the two children, who were slamming fist and foot repeatedly into the cat demon.

As Seth approached, the two flew backward in unison, swinging their arms out, hands cupped like claws. The air curled and bent, sparkling trails of twinkle dust gathering together and forming the dimensional tears known as 'paraloops'. However these were wielded with _deadly _effectiveness. Unlike the usual method, where one circled the object they wished to distort, they _threw _the distortions, which cleaved through the air and carved right into Clawz' fur and flesh. A pained yowl filled the air, as the children flew around, performing an impossible act of beautiful deadly grace, their determination, courage, hope and **desire **shining through, carrying between the worlds.

If one were to look carefully, however. One would see the slightest trace of glittering silver in the illumination around them all.

Seth flew past, swinging fists heavily into Clawz' torso, before flipping forward and slamming his foot into its face, launching it downward towards the ground. Helen dashed by underneath, hair flowing freely behind her, an earlier narrow evasion catching the tie she used to bind her hair in its standard ponytail and releasing it, while Will flew overhead. The two trails of twinkle dust connected, forming a massive rip that heavily shredded Clawz' form. Helen, struck by an idea, waved her hand around, creating a rip in the form of a sphere, tainted blue. She threw it above her, slamming her fist upon it, and it tore into Clawz, coming out the other side, where Will flew up, and kicked it back.

Shocking the crowd further, the children continued their game of volleyball, slamming the paraloop-sphere repeatedly through the Nightmaren's form, before the two of them slammed it up, and then spiked it down, before tearing over to where Clawz was going to go, and, backs to one another, lashed out with both their fists. The ball bounced off of the ground, before slamming into the cat's form, popping it up, where Seth had appeared, twirling the broken streetlamp above his head, launching it downward with great force. The makeshift spear pierced through the cat's body, pulling it to the ground where it crashed heavily, cracking the pavement.

Gently the two children landed, as black tar began to seep from Clawz' now dead body, wisps of black smoke slowly rising as it faded away. Seth too descended, the black glow around him flickering and fading just the same, as he landed heavily between the kids.

"Bad…kitty…" he spoke softly, consciousness fading.

Helen and Will both reached out, and barely caught him. Supporting his weight between them, they were startled by the sound of clapping and cheering. The crowd, while shocked, horrified, and awed by the attack, the creature itself, and the subsequent impossibility of a battle, knew when their lives were saved. The three were heroes, even if it was partially Seth's actions that caused there to be any danger.

At least, as far as they knew.

"Helen!" Samantha cried out, racing for the two, Helen's friends and Will's father accompanying them.

"Mom! Wait, stop! Listen, I know you have questions…but I can't answer them until we get him to a hospital. He's lost a _lot _of blood!" The girl cried out.

Her mother stopped, before fishing around in the girl's bag for her cell phone, upon seeing that Helen's jacket was beginning to get stained with the teen's life liquids.

"Will…do…you need any help, son?" Confused, worried, shocked, amazed…proud. All of these feelings and more raced through Richard Taylor's heart.

Tired, panting, but still elated over their newest victory Will responded. "Thanks dad but…I think we got this."

The two children refused to relinquish hold upon Seth's body, as some of the crowd raced around, getting supplies to slow the bleeding and perhaps patch up a few of his wounds before the paramedics could arrive.

It was the least they could do, for the three that had taken on such a terrifying beast, and not only survived, but destroyed it.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **THIS CHAPTER IS EPIC. A lot of this was pre-written, hell a lot of this story is pre-written, but in fragments. We get to see Seth tackling his weaknesses head-on, getting owned by a Nightmaren, and then that nightmaren getting owned. To answer a couple questions before they come:

Why could Helen do all that? Because she wanted to. How, will be explained soon. For now, let's just say, Reality and the Dream were almost One, for a bit there.

Why could they fly? Again, because they wanted to. For Seth, there are very few times where his mind will _kill _its sense of logic, and do whatever it takes to survive. This was one of those times. He knows he flew, but he doesn't know _how_. Just that he needed to. Consciously he cannot grasp how it works just yet, so he can't do it on command. But when the shit hits the fan, and all bets are off, he CAN coast the skies. For a time.

oh, and Yes that was an SA2 reference, Yes that will be explained, No he wasnt really using Chaos Control and No that's not what he's going to forever call his porting ability. It was the first teleportation phrase he could think of at the time, and any of us who deal with any sort of supernatural practice know that at least _thinking _your phrase will help in its activation.

Archsage328: this is naturally a darker story. The base of this story takes place in the thought of "what happens when someone enters Nightopia under bad circumstances?" You got the wonder and splendor of the realm through the games, now you see the darker sides of it, because now you're seeing it through the eyes of two people who didn't first go in the way Will, Helen, Claris and Elliot did. Remember, a world of dreams has beauty, but with every positive, there is a negative. And right now, those negatives are what are most prominent in the main characters' lives.

Unfortunately for this story, two of the main characters haven't had the best experience when it came to Nightopia proper, their first exposure to it being nearly dying at the hands of one of the natives. That forever mark's someone's view of a place, even if only slightly. There will be a chapter soon though, that shows off the beauty of the realm, but the reality is that in truth, as long as Wiseman is around, Nightopia will never be as beautiful as we're led to believe. The "childish innocence" you mentioned, doesn't exist for any of the characters, because four of them know already both sides of the world, and the other two's first true exposure was nearly being killed. It's like looking at a poisonous plant. It can be beautiful, but you know if you touch it, you might just die.

Nights itself will get screentime as needed. Honestly this story focuses more on the dreamers, than the natives…but there _is _something I'm planning for Nights that may or may not piss a lot of people off, but at the same time, will be awesome. I love what I'm planning. Remember, Nights does its own thing. In the first game, it was locked in the Palace. In the Second it was the guide, and the main method of getting around. In this story, four of six dreamers know how to get around on their own, one doesn't enter very often, and the last can go back and forth physically at will. Nights is off doing whatever it did when Will and Helen weren't around. But you'll see…hehehe…


	7. Resolution

It was a long half week. Government, Media, Family.

And for the sake of their friends, Will and Helen endured it all.

Seth remained unconscious, body healing much faster than normal. The smaller cuts and scrapes were gone within hours, large gashes shrinking as the days went on, caking over with blood before chips of dried flesh and plasm flaked off, revealing healthy skin quickly re-forming. It was impossible, but the doctors could only watch.

The two were questioned repeatedly by multiple officials. The police wished to know if anything like that could happen again, to which they could not give a definitive answer.

"It might, it might not. This city is closer to where that thing came from than most of the rest of the world, but at the same time, there are…walls…in place, that keep them from coming in so easily."

When asked why it was that thing came through, they had no response save one.

"Seth is the only person we've heard of that can go between freely, without being asleep first. But he didn't choose to bring it here, it followed him somehow. When he wakes up he can tell you more."

As the days passed, military was scrambled to seek any disturbances. The two mentioned they didn't know if stuff like guns or bombs could hurt the monsters from the Nightmare, so the soldiers were equipped with bayonets just in case. The police considered a curfew, but surprisingly listened to the suggestion of the children.

"In or out of our homes, we'd be in danger if they crossed over. But that's only if they found a way to do what _he _can."

Parents were shocked and yet relieved when the city learned that the children that were disappearing and returning were simply 'falling in'.

"The big bad guy there, Wiseman, is hunting for very specific people. But he's probably now really busy trying to figure out why two of his creations were killed again, and how. The city is safe for now."

Helplessness descended upon the adults. What could they do? This was a battle that couldn't be fought with weapons or words, only dreams.

But now, their parents knew. It wasn't a massive secret, nothing that truly needed to be hidden, but yet not something you could easily bring up. And honestly, what could their parents do? Stop them from sleeping? That would be neglect, child abuse, they would go to jail for it, and the children would sleep anyway. They couldn't stop their children from dreaming either. They were helpless. But the kids had an idea. The shit had hit the fan, the Dream World partially exposed. But it wasn't _meant _to be a secret. It just existed, it was there, just not seen. Its existence had always been talked about, theorized, speculated, and now there was proof. There is indeed a dimension that we travel to through our sleep, where our mental selves take form and play our dreams out.

And like all worlds, there were inhabitants, some kind, some malicious. Up until now, few people had truly interacted with that world, became aware of it. So the kids thought something up. They would get in contact with Claris and Elliot, because by now, it was all over the world news that something _strange _had happened in Bellbridge, and gather all their parents together, to see the beauty of the Dream World, and not just the horrible demon that came from it.

But to do that, they needed Seth.

* * *

><p>A soft but constant beep was present.<p>

A groan echoed through the room.

A pair of eyes opened, blinding white filled their gaze.

The groan was louder, the maker trying to rub their eyes to relieve them of the burning sensation of bright.

"How are you feeling?" A soft, sweet voice asked.

Seth sat up slightly, slowly.

"Like I was just used as a chew-toy for the Black Beast."

Helen tilted her head, the nurses rushing in to check on Seth.

"BlazBlue reference…don't worry about it."

Slowly, as the nurses checked him over, doctor checking his wounds and bandages, scabs flaking off and revealing almost perfect skin, only a tiny white line wherever he was sliced remaining, Helen filled him in on what had been going on. How they were grilled by everyone, high up to down low, and their idea to give their parents ease of mind.

"I'm sorry."

"It's ok. You were in danger and accidentally came here. I'm just happy we could help out. But everyone has questions…questions only we can answer."

Seth nodded slowly.

"Give me a bit. Soon as I'm out, I'll get ready." She gently grasped his hand and squeezed it, as he lay back down.

"Get some rest." She said softly.

* * *

><p>On the fifth day after the incident, the plan was put into action. Helen had brought her mother, Samantha, and Will, his father. Will's father, Tom, shared his son's blonde hair, but had bright green eyes, to his son's blue. Clad in what counted as 'informal' for him, to which Will just rolled his eyes, he wore a grey business shirt with black dress pants and simple black loafers. It was only at his son's insistence did he forgo the usual tie.<p>

Performing the shift in the Cartwright backyard, Seth reached out his perceptions, tracing the lines between real and dream, reality and fantasy, projecting his feeling of falling yet staying still upon the world around him. He still preferred moving as he did it, as that made the change less jarring, but that wasn't much of an option. The group was holding hands in a chain, to make it easier to channel their thoughts and desires, to cross over, to see the new world.

In the blink of an eye, and a slight squeezing sensation, the group found themselves at the Dream Gate, where the adults stared in shock.

"Alright, I'll be right back." Will and Helen nodded, Seth vanishing in a ripple of air before the adults could ask any questions.

"What…is this place?" Samantha asked.

"Not yet mum…wait till the others get here."

* * *

><p>"Alright you three, what's this about?" Elliot's father asked.<p>

Standing taller than all of them, was Mark Edwards. His unruly brown fringe flopped down in front of his eyes, as he glanced with confusion and a bit of irritation at the trio of dreamers. He'd been working on a client's car when Elliot called him up saying he needed to come to Claris' house, because something important happened. Fearing his kid had gone and gotten the girl pregnant, he raced over. Still wearing blue-jean overalls over a white t-shirt with grease stains.

His mother placed her hand on her husband's arm. Denise Edwards stood just a head shorter than her husband, black hair neatly tied in a ponytail behind her. She too was wondering why they had been called here, though seeing Katrina again was always a joy.

"In a minute dad. It's something you gotta know about…but it's easier to show you." Elliot spoke, nervous.

Suddenly the bell rang.

"That's him." Claris spoke. Astoria raced off before any of them could react.

"Who?" Katrina asked.

"Seth!" Astoria answered, clutching his arm. Immediately Claris walked over and smacked him upside the head, to which Astoria leveled a _heavy _glare.

"What the hell were you thinking?" His response was unexpected. He stared her down, the same powerful, angry gaze he gave Nights when he thought the purple jester was a threat to Astoria's wellbeing. Claris took a step back on reflex, once again confronted with a stare that could give even a Nightmaren pause.

"I was _thinking _that I was a useless sack of **shit **that needed to hurry up and be more than a goddamn _liability!_ Excuuuuse me for wanting to be something more than a goddamn crutch in this stupid fight!"

Claris saw Astoria's echoing glare and stepped further back, bowing her head.

"I'm sorry." She said softly. "I was…worried. Will and Helen told us everything…"

"You beat Clawz though." Elliot jumped in, hoping to diffuse the situation. Surprisingly enough, Seth sighed and stepped away from Astoria and yanked Claris over. She gave a small eep as he put an arm around her and held her close to him.

"I know it was dangerous, and I'm sorry I worried you. I thought I was good though. Stupid thing pulled me into its realm without me even noticing. Its timing was perfect, that was the day I was going to practice going back and forth, both between realms and between areas. I couldn't get out. And when I did, I'd apparently made a hole that he followed me through." Seth sighed again, feeing Claris relax.

"And no, I didn't beat him. Will and Helen did all the work. I just Sailor Moon'd him." Astoria gave a snort at that.

"You must be pretty flexible then." Seth just stared at her. "…touché." He muttered.

"Alright, what the hell are you all talking about?" Elliot's father was growing irritated. It felt like something was happening and he was both part of it and kept out of the loop. He hated that feeling.

"Calm down there, Gigantor. You'll see in a minute." Seth clipped back, just as annoyed.

"Uhh, Seth…might not wanna talk to my dad like that." Elliot said hesitantly.

"Your dad could be the goddamn Hulk and I wouldn't give a shit. **I **just took down a two-hundred pound cat demon that was fast as a cheetah and had claws that could cut through solid steel, AND summoned exploding mouse rockets from thin air. And I did it with only two fourteen year olds running backup, five days ago. Can _he _say the same?" Seth countered, irritably.

Having spent a fair amount of time with him since her abduction and him rescuing her, Astoria learned many things about Seth. One of which was he didn't normally flaunt or overstate his achievements. For him to do so, was out of character, and usually a sign of a currently active larger problem. So, she quickly but carefully reached out and intertwined her hand with his.

"Bad day?"

As if it were magic words, the vent flew open in Seth's mind.

"Bad _week_! I spend three days in a row bouncing between trying to overcome my _stupid _problem, and on the third day I get jumped by some random cat bastard, almost killed _again, _then make a random jump to wherever I could, end up smack in front of Helen, fucker follows me _through _my shift somehow, and damn near kills all three of us, along with a slew of innocents who just happened to be where I popped out of. I spend half a week trying to figure out what my limits are, and how to overcome the issue I have, and what do I get for it? I find out that I can pop out somewhere _I've never been to_ and not only that if I do it _wrong_, I risk bringing something _back _with me!"

Astoria just pat his arm. "At least you, and all of them, are still alive. Can you say that it'd still happen that way if it were someone else? If you hadn't been practicing?"

Seth shook his head. "Let's just get this over with. I need to ask that jester a few questions anyway."

* * *

><p>"Jeez, how long is he gonna-<p>

**FWOOSH**

In a wave of air and sparkling lights, Seth and the others appeared at the Dream Gate.

"Whoa!" Katrina exclaimed, in shock.

"What the hell?"

"Claris!" Helen yelled out, waving. Slowly, as the three newly arrived adults got their bearings, introductions were made.

"What…is this place?"

"This, is the Dream Gate." Claris began explaining, before she stopped. "Ahh…shoot. We're gonna need more help explaining things."

"Where's Nights?" Astoria asked. Claris shrugged helplessly. "I dunno…I dunno what it does when we aren't around. It just…kinda shows up when it feels like it."

Seth had closed his eyes in irritation. _When it feels like? Fuck that. I don't have time for this._..

"Who is Nights?" Helen's mother asked.

"Nights is…"

* * *

><p>High above Stick Canyon, a purple clad Jester stood atop a tall construction tower. <em>It feels like something changed. As if the air is lighter here somehow. Almost like…a nightmaren was defeated. But how? And who? Hmm…maybe I should head back to the Dream Gate, and hang around there for a while. The others might need me.<em>

Nights nodded to itself, preparing to jump off and begin its flight through the tears in the Dream that allowed one to cross between the individual worlds of Nightopia, and the Dream Gate. However, it felt a cold shiver race through its body, a very powerful pounding in its chest, the red gem on its breast glittering slightly. Nights turned around.

Where a little girl with long black hair in a red dress stood, hair blowing in the winds above the tower. She stands there, barefoot, eyes half-lidded, as if in a trance.

_A dreamer? But…I sense no Ideya around her. Impossible!_

"Daddy says come…" The girl mumbled out.

"So you come."

She lifted a hand, and immediately a flicker of red, blue, and black erupted into place, before it turned into a swirling black vortex right in front of the nightmaren. Nights blanched backwards before a hand reached out, and latched onto its wrist, pulling it through the swirling murky gateway before the nightmaren could react. Immediately, the gateway closed behind it.

The girl…was nowhere to be seen.

* * *

><p>The group stared at Seth. Seconds after Claris began explaining to Samantha who Nights was, he began glowing, shutting everyone up. Swirls of black, red and blue wisps began wafting off of his form, twisting and writhing like an angry snake, before gathering in front of him, turning into a murky black oval. They watched Seth lash his hand into the gateway, eyes still closed, and then pull back violently. As he did, Nights came flying through the portal, which then closed.<p>

"Whoa! What in the world?" The nightmaren exclaimed.

"Nights!" the dreamers called out, as Seth opened his eyes.

"Well…huh…that actually worked." He spoke, surprised.

Everyone looked at him.

"What? I didn't think it would work."

"That was _you_?" Nights exclaimed in shock.

"Yeah. We needed you here, and I didn't feel like waiting till you decided to show up, if you ever did. So I figured, I can bring _things _around, so why not 'people'? So I focused on you, how you look and everything, and just…reached out."

"But…what about the little girl?" Nights questioned.

"What little girl?" Seth asked, slowly, an idea in his head.

"The one in a red dress!"

"…did she have black hair?"

"Yes."

"Barefoot?"

"Yes!"

"Did she mention anything about 'daddy'?"

"Yes, yes, yes! She said 'daddy says come, so you come'! Is that your daughter?"

"Hell no!" Seth reacted. "But I do know she's the one who keeps showing up in my nightmares."

"Hey…" Katrina said absently. "Mine too! I keep dreaming of a girl calling out for her father, before these…things…pull her into this bloody pool."

Everyone else present mentioned the same nightmare.

"It must have something to do with Wiseman then…" Nights mused.

"Alright, I think we've waited long enough. What is this place, how did we get here, who the hell are you, and who the hell is Wiseman?" Elliot's father spoke up.

"You might wanna sit dad…this is gonna be a long story…"

* * *

><p>They had been wandering the canyon, the adults marveling at the strangeness of the world, at the giant magnetic devices, the rock and steel fused together, as if some sort of hybrid planet made of nature and machine. After a lengthy explanation to the Adults how the world worked, what it was, and having many tear filled hugs from mothers and solid proud pats from the fathers, the group had moved on to showing the adults Nightopia proper. To show them that the world wasn't only danger, and fear. Elliot was a good tour guide, pointing out to everyone where certain things happened, how things seemed to work last time he was here.<p>

"For two nights in a row, we kept screwing up. That tower, off in the distance, was a real bitch to climb while flying. These stupid rocks kept falling down, smashing into us and weakening our link. I never made it up that tower with Nights. So on the third night, I told Nights to hold back. That stupid tower kept randomly changing its format, gates that were open one night would be closed the next. So I had Nights wait until the power of the fourth Ideya faded, and it got re-sealed, while I got ejected from the merge. From there, I just ran around, collecting those orbs until I could feel like I had enough. Well, I ran to the tower, and would you believe it, one of those weird seed-shaped bumpers was there. I jumped on it and it bounced me all the way to the top of the tower, where the Ideya capture was!"

As Elliot told his story, Astoria was thinking. They were here, in this world. Everyone.

It was time.

Over the week since her abduction and subsequent rescue, she had been seen by therapists, psychiatrists…all sorts of doctors. It was annoying, but one of them made the vague suggestion that maybe, once everything settled and the kidnapper was caught, she should go back, with proper authorities and emotional grounding, to where it happened. To bring closure, as a way of saying 'yes, you hurt me, but now you're out of my life, you have no power over me any longer.' She researched it on the internet, and many victims of kidnapping and the like had said both positive and negative things on the subject. Regardless, she had a chance now. A chance to face the past, and stand up to the lingering fear within her.

"Seth…" she said softly. All conversation stopped, as everyone turned to her. She felt a bit nervous, but gathered her focus. Nights' eyes widened slightly. Her Courage was beginning to both flicker and fade, but pulse wildly.

"…we need to go back." She spoke, in that same, hesitant tone.

"What's wrong Tori? You feeling ok?"

"No…no I mean I'm fine. No it's…we need to go _back_." She urged, trying not to say the name of the place, giving into that one final brush of fear.

Seth blinked at her, tilting his head slightly. _Back…go back…back where? If not back out of here…and not back to the dream gate then-_

Suddenly his eyes widened heavily.

"You mean…back _there_?"

Astoria was facing the ground, eyes squeezed shut, taking shuddering breaths. It all came so suddenly! She was alright up until a moment ago, but then suddenly the thought of being _there _again took over. The reality that she was making that choice, to go back to where she was-

Her thoughts were cut off by a soft glow. Seth was holding his hand out to her, black and red entwined perfectly. Her eyes watered as she understood.

_But I'm not alone. He was there too…he was just as scared. We were scared together. And we made it out together. I can do this…because he'll be right there with me, just like before._ She took a deep breath, and took his hand, soft red glow beginning to rise from her chest.

"You're sure?" He asked. The flare up hadn't escaped his notice. Obviously he had to be glowing again if the stares of shock on the adults' faces were any indication. That feeling he always got, the feeling of the need to keep her safe, was in his heart, invading his mind. And he welcomed it. She was afraid, far more than he was.

She nodded. "Yes. I…need it."

"Astoria…honey what are you talking about?" Katrina was confused.

"I need to go back…back to where it all started for me." The girl said.

"Back to Mystic Forest, you mean." Nights clarified. The glow was staggering. And once again, the jewel on Nights' chest was pulsing. "We'll have to head back to the Gate then."

"No." Astoria said. "By then, I'll lose my nerve. I have to get there now…while I can still push past being afraid." She looked helplessly at Seth, her savior.

Seth nodded. "Leave it to me."

But it was a stretch. Such a large group…and punching through two layers. He'd have to cross over to the other side of the Dream, through the barriers that kept the hubs separated. Yet he was the only one who could do it. The only one who knew how, let alone had the power to. He'd need absolute focus…a trigger.

It would be foolish.

_Dumb sounding or not, I need it to bring all of them. And who knows, it might make her smile._

So he knelt down and grabbed a random rock. _This'll have to do. Alright…it's just like in a video game. The rock is the gate key to taking us to the other place. The Teleport Orb I need to warp into what counts as Astoria's Abyss. Damn, where's Rudy's punch glove when you need it? Well, my luck's probably already at WORST anyway so…_

While he was thinking to himself, he had gauged the distance between everyone. He was going to try a new idea, a new development…that was only possible because of the girl clinging to his hand. Tossing the rock absently up and down, catching it each time, he seemed to nod to himself.

He tossed it up once more.

_For Tori._

"Chaos…"

Nights' eyes widened further, gripping its chest as a now familiar pulse ripped through its body. For a brief moment, Seth's little wispy aura flickered silver.

"CONTROL!"

He snatched the rock out of the air, and in the following moment, an impossibly bright green light erupted from within his fist. Ripples of pale green light in the form of nigh-solid rings echoed outwards, stunning the entire group. The sound of electric sparks jumping from metal conductors filled their ears as the ripples returned inward, before the blinding light seemed to encompass all of them, a feeling of weightlessness overcoming their senses.

In a brief shockwave of Dream Energy, the group had vanished.

* * *

><p><strong>Fizzzzz-THOOOM<strong>

Disoriented from the bright light, everyone seemed to topple over, except Seth and Astoria. Though Astoria was only steady because she was holding Seth's hand. His other hand dropped the rock it was holding, smoking slightly as he shook it to relieve it of the mild burning discomfort. _That made HEAT? I guess it makes sense logically but…damn my brain!_

"Dude! Not cool man." Elliot said, getting up slowly.

"Hey, it's not like I knew you would land on your ass. Didn't know it had the portkey effect."

"Chaos Control? Seriously?" Elliot pressed.

"Had to think of something didn't I? CC's the only thing I could think of on the fly that could take a whole mess of people cross-country in an instant."

"And you just _had _to copy the pose and everything didn't you?" Claris quipped, helping her mother stand.

"Hey. Shadow is hardcore and a badass and I will not tolerate you insulting his Epic Pose with your heathen words, woman!" Seth countered, before immediately turning to Astoria.

"You ok?"

Astoria shuddered. "…no…" she whispered. She was back. She was really back. This _damn _forest…

The joy bled out of the conversation immediately.

"Obviously." Seth said pointedly, making Elliot's parents think he was an idiot for being so blunt. "Better question. Do you _think _you'll be ok?"

"…" She said nothing at first, just staring in the direction her heart _knew _that cabin was. "Maybe…" She whispered. "…just…don't let go…?"

Seth squeezed her hand. "Wouldn't _dream _of it." She couldn't help the empty laugh that came out. It _was _a horrible pun, and normally she'd be giggling at its stupidity. But that was the best she could manage.

"Hmm…at least that got _some _sort of reaction." Seth mused out loud, making the adults _really _wonder if he was being dumb on purpose or just that insensitive. To their surprise, Astoria just pulled him close, holding his arm to her chest.

"…thank you…" She knew he was trying to cheer her up, give her a boost of courage. It wasn't working too well, but she was beyond grateful. "…for everything." She finished.

He just pat her head with his free hand. "…you ready?" She shook her head. "No…but if I don't go now I'll never do it."

She squared her shoulders, and began walking, with Seth right behind her, hand still being gripped by hers, the group tailing after them.

They walked through the shrubbery for what felt like hours, in silence, Nights gently coasting along beside the group. Denise, intrigued by how casually the Nightmaren seemed to float along, asked of Nights.

"Why are you doing that?"

"What, hovering? Walking's not really my thing. Plus I get a bit antsy when it's too quiet, so I hover."

"Pfft." Seth snorted. "Shit, if I could do that? I'd only ever walk to remind my brain 'yes, I still have legs, yes, they still have a purpose.'"

Astoria squeezed his hand. "You will, someday."

"Yeah see, my problem is 'someday' could be anywhere between tomorrow and the day I stop living. So I'm not too keen on that." Astoria just squeezed his hand again.

"You will. I believe in you." Seth gave a soft sigh. "At least one of us does…"

Astoria stopped suddenly. "Eh?"

"Here." She said. She dropped down, touching the ground. There was a river not too far ahead. The grass seemed undisturbed, but Astoria was touching it like it was shredded.

"This…is where you were pinned down. I thought those things were going to tear your throat out." She said, softly.

"Oh yeah…usually I love wolves but those things needed to be turned into someone's coat." Seth replied. Astoria gave a soft, sad huff of air resembling a laugh. _Getting worse…_

It was here that Katrina finally understood where they were. _This_ forest was the place Astoria was taken. This was the first place she saw, when she first came to Nightopia. Suddenly, she was overcome with grief. Her daughter was facing her past in a way that took her two years to do, not two weeks later.

Astoria stood up, leaving Seth behind as she walked back towards the group. They all backed up slightly as the girl seemed to be measuring her steps.

"Right here. Remember? This is where you grabbed my hand."

Seth nodded. "All I could think of was that I'd failed. And then I heard the voice of that girl. And for a second, I saw her, instead of you. And for some reason that gave me strength." Astoria nodded as well.

"Whoever she is, she seems to be connected to all this. This…right here is where we pushed ourselves out."

"I remember that. I was _very _uncomfortable with holding a naked little girl though, but getting out was more important."

"Teenager."

"Close enough."

"Ass." She muttered. She shook her head, walking back towards Seth's direction, slipping her hand in his and continuing, forcing the group to follow.

* * *

><p>She stopped.<p>

Standing before them was the cabin, where it all happened. She began to shiver, before suddenly she clamped down on her emotions, and strode forward. She stopped at Seth's exclamation.

"Holy shit!" She turned to him. "My shoes are still there!"

And sure enough, just outside the cabin door, were a pair of black sneakers. "I took them off because I didn't want to make too much noise. Huh, didn't think they'd still be here."

Astoria slowly stepped to the cabin door, avoiding going through the open portal and instead kneeling down next to the pair of sneakers that were gently aligned next to the door. The group watched as she touched them gently, caressing them almost lovingly, a strange empty gaze on her face. She picked them up, cradling them to her chest.

"Can I keep these?" She asked Seth.

The black haired teen blinked, mind racing, trying to figure out why she would want his shoes. And then it locked on. A keepsake.

"…logically…I want to say no. Because I know what you're doing, and it's unhealthy. However…unhealthy it may be…sometimes it takes us doing things that are bad for us, to make way for the good. and I understand why you want to hold on to those. So yeah…you can keep them."

Astoria nodded, turning back to the cabin door. As soon as Seth reached her side, she stepped in.

And yet slowly, her steps became more and more unsteady. Her breathing became frantic. Her eyes widened upon seeing the table, perfectly fine, though devoid of chains. She began shivering, shuddering. She dropped the shoes and whirled around, ready to flee. But Seth barred her path and swept her into a tight embrace.

"I can't! I can't I can't I can't!"

"You can, times four. Times infinity." Seth countered, holding the girl close.

"I was so scared! I thought…I thought…"

"I know Tori…I know. I was scared too. First time in this forest and all I knew was that I was probably about to find out what happened to those kids." Seth whispered softly, rocking the girl gently back and forth. Katrina raced for the two, pulling them both into a hug, since she knew there was no way she was separating them. Claris did the same on the other side, both elder Sinclair women with tears in their eyes. Helen too was sniffling, seeing first hand the result of such horrific trauma.

Suddenly, a deep black flare erupted from around Astoria, causing Claris and Katrina to step back, surprised.

"I want them _dead_! You hear me Seth? **DEAD!**" Even Seth was surprised at the malice and hatred in her voice, her eyes glinting with the flames of madness. All he could do was nod.

"We'll get him. I promise. We'll get him." Astoria violently shook her head.

"Not just Reala. _Wiseman_! I want to see him dead at my feet!" She snarled out. Seth nodded again. "He's the big one, we've _got _to take him out. No avoiding it."

"I want to be there. I want to be there and I want to _see _him die with my own two eyes! I want to _watch _him take his last breath and then I want to burn his _fucking _corpse!"

It was unprecedented, Nights thought to itself. _The level of Desire she's putting out…and yet she's not succumbing to the Nightmare in the slightest! She wants it…but despite her pain and rage, she's somehow not controlled by it! Who __**is **__this girl?_

"Can we even burn the corpse of a Nightmare lord? Hell would he even leave a corpse? His creations didn't…" Seth mused.

"Well we gotta burn something of his!" She cried out.

"How about his castle? All bad guys have a castle of some sort don't they?"

"Perfect! We'll kill him and burn his castle!"

"With lemons?"

"Yes! With-…wait what?" The rage and bravado vanished instantly, replaced by confusion.

"Can we make a combustible lemon that burns his castle down?" Seth asked, sounding completely serious.

Astoria just stared at him. Hell _everyone _stared at him. And then she gave a huff. Which turned into a laugh, which turned into a series of hysteric laughs, which then mutated into crying wails of agony, as she threw herself back into his arms. Everyone was confused and amazed, while being horrified at the cycle of emotions that trauma brought.

Will's father was shocked for a different reason. _He has no history of psychology. And yet…in a manner of weeks he became this girl's pillar of strength, and is able to read her and react to her constantly shifting states as if it were trivial. That he knows how to blend humor with seriousness, blunt force with gentle touch…not even some of the best therapists in the world were able to freely read their patients so casually._ Tom was a man who took many jobs, some of them being reviewing cases of mental issues. He'd met and witnessed people of all ages and of all walks of life.

And yet not once had he ever met a boy like Seth, who would easily shift tactics on a whim, keeping Astoria at peak performance, and yet able to perfectly react to her emotional needs. All of this…just got interesting.

* * *

><p>The group had crossed into Spring Valley. One of the refreshing explanations that Nights gave to everyone, was how exactly Nightopia was setup.<p>

"_Imagine a circle. Nightopia is split primarily into seven fragments. Spring Valley, Mystic Forest and Soft Museum on one side, with Splash Garden, Frozen Bell and Stick Canyon on the other. The Dream Gate is smack in the middle, right in between all of them. Each side of the world has three layers, Spring Valley at the top for one side, and Splash Garden at the top for the other. Each layer is directly connected to both the layer immediately beneath it, as well as that area's counterpart on the other side of that layer. So Soft Museum and Stick canyon are directly connected, while also being directly connected to Mystic Forest, for Soft Museum, and Frozen Bell, for Stick Canyon. The middle layer, where Mystic Forest and Frozen Bell are, is the most important. Because it's from these two worlds that you have the greatest ease of travelling to other parts of Nightopia. To reach the side with Splash Garden, from Mystic Forest, you would just slip over to Frozen Bell, and go up a layer. Same in reverse. However if you wanted to get to Soft Museum from Splash garden, you would have to take a longer route, unless you went through the Dream Gate."_

Astoria had begun to recover, slowly re-gaining her cheer as they got closer to reaching Spring Valley. A weight was lifted from her heart, though a dark resolve had settled in its place. Once again, the adults were stunned at the native beauty of the world. The crisp clean air, the green grass, the crystal clear waters, the red and black Jester floating not too far from them, the giant hairy spider clicking away next to him…

_Wait what._ Seth's mind paused.

Everyone stopped, eyes widening. "Reala!" Nights yelled out, immediately on guard.

_No._

"Nights." The counterpart First-Nightmaren responded, casually.

"What are you doing here?"

_No no no._

"Putting an end to this before it gets worse." Reala responded, petting the spider.

"This is another of my creations, say hello to the Spydre."

_No no no no no no __**no no no!**_

His heart began to beat faster. His eyes widened, every hair on his body standing on end. Nerves were set alight with countless signals, warnings, feelings.

He had to flee. He had to get away. Run and never look back.

His mouth became dry, body beginning to shiver.

A giant, hairy, tarantula looking spider.

The _worst _possible thing.

And it was right in front of him.

Claris, Elliot, Will and Helen all stood in front of their parents. All of them ready to fight. Claris and Helen were grossed out by the creature, but they were able to push it aside. Will was a tad afraid, but he'd never liked spiders, and enjoyed crushing them. So he'd help crush this one too. And Elliot just didn't care. He wasn't going to let his parents get hurt.

A motion behind them caught their attention.

Seth had dropped to his rear, eyes wide. They watched him slowly begin crawling backward shaking his head the entire time. Suddenly it hit them. He was _terrified_. They'd heard him say the words, but until now, none of them, not even when Clawz showed up in Bellbridge, had seen a look of such pure _fear_ on the unflappable Seth's face. Reala raised an eyebrow, very interested in the events occurring before him. _A phobia of spiders…interesting, I'll have to remember that one._

They could barely make out Seth's voice whispering "no", repeatedly.

A pounding headache had suddenly erupted into place. They watched him grasp his head, as if suddenly being electrocuted. "make it stop make it stop make it stop…"

Astoria was too stunned to move. Claris stepped forward, reaching out to him. She called his name, and his head snapped up to her.

* * *

><p>She was covered in them. Hundreds of spiders flicking over her flesh. How did she not notice? How the hell was she immune to seeing, to <em>feeling<em> all those spindly legs? Every bit of her was crawling in them!

They were coming out of her hair, her eyes, her ears…everywhere! And she didn't even notice!

A small part of him tried to say it wasn't real, it was fake. Something was wrong, there was just no way someone could miss all that.

But the pounding in his head drowned out the voice. All he knew was what he saw.

And he saw her reaching out to him, all the spiders gathering to her hand, ready to consume him just as they did her.

* * *

><p>"<strong>GET AWAY!"<strong>

An explosion of black ripped from Seth's body as he screamed out in terror. Claris, eyes wide, could do nothing but gasp as a sheer feeling of _FEAR_ ripped through her heart, before she was lifted off her feet by the kinetic force of whatever it was that kept lashing out at things, to protect him. She landed heavily on her back, where she could do nothing but watch as six glowing lights seemed to shoot out of Seth's body. Red, Yellow, Green, Blue, Black and White all seemed to flicker around him before they stopped, shuddering violently. His Ideya shivered heavily as their natural rotation suddenly stopped.

And then, with an echoing noise of fine china…

They shattered.

Even Reala's eyes widened as fragmented shards of Dream Energy wafted down to the ground. Seth's eyes rolled into the back of his head, body falling backwards. Astoria snapped out of her shock and tried to reach to him.

But a wall of blood red and black murky mist opened up beneath him. As his body his the ground, hundreds of grey, bleeding, sickly arms shot out of the vapors, wrapped around Seth's form, and pulled him into their depths. Astoria jumped after them, but the gateway to Nightmare closed the second they pulled him through, and the girl simply bellyflopped onto the ground.

Everyone was stunned into silence.

Before their very eyes.

They'd just seen someone _lose_ their Ideya.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Boom. Very emotional chapter. Seth isn't an idiot. He knows what it feels like to be in pain. He also knows Astoria is naturally a fun-loving, cheerful girl. Seth displays tactics that I myself have used on people who were emotionally unstable. It's a very risky deal no matter how you approach it. But…as far as I've seen, my strange, crazy methods have always ended up giving them a spark of life back.

Oh hey, shattered Ideya. Wonder what that means.

**D&S Master: **Yep. I think very differently than others, speak differently too. I break people down into their base concepts and go from there. More epic and crazy and holy shit in this chapter for you. Not much fallout, but I have the full belief that even if something like that were to happen, it would be smoothed over quickly. At least the first time.

**archsage328: **Oh there'll be fights. Right now I'm still trying to iron out exactly who can do what. Last chapter was me letting go a bit, and just going "fuck it, they're gonna kick ass." The really good shit, the fights I can really excel at are still a little bit away. A fair few more references, and yes, those were all intentional and meant to be there, and not just "HEY LOOK GAME REFERENCE!" Seth is partially based off of myself, and I can tell you, I talk like that. Makes conversations much more fun.


	8. Eldest Horrors

A body, floating atop a pool of blood red, semi-clear liquid. Clothed in blue jeans, a dark blue denim vest, a black t-shirt with an odd design upon it, yet barefoot. Black hair splayed out around the body, light brown flesh, illuminated by the pale red moon in the distorted skies above. All was silent.

Until a soft, sobbing sound…could be heard.

**PLIP**

**PLOP**

**PLIP**

**PLORP**

Slowly, another figure approached. It stepped oddly, almost as if stumbling. Entering the red shimmer, its body was bare, pale, unhealthy skin barely hanging onto its bones. Its figure was vaguely female, stringy black hair dangling from its skull. It stepped along the surface of the liquid, before slowly kneeling next to the body. The body lay unmoving as twin flecks of clear liquid dropped upon its face. The strange emaciated female reached a hand out, nails impossibly long and sharp like claws, gently stroking the man's face as he lay in the pool of red.

The female's head seemed to tilt, she feeling warmth from the body, and yet no life. As if the would-be corpse had just freshly perished. And yet she felt a pulse. The heart was beating, but she sensed no life. An empty husk. Her sobs grew louder. For a moment, she thought she had company, a new being had arrived. They wouldn't be alone anymore. As she gave soft but powerful heaving cries, movement caught her eye.

The body twitched. The sobs tapered off. She stared at the body again.

_There_.

A small spark of life. The last embers of existence.

Her eyes narrowed, hair now dangling over his eyelids, as she seemed to peer into the very core of the body. A gasp.

The spark was _silver_.

This one was like the other! They had a chance!

Oh how they'd been confined to this world for so long. Waiting for someone to free them, to bring them out of their unjust imprisonment. The one that came before merely shoved them aside. Built his world atop theirs, sealed them away. He knew what they were, but did not heed them. He created his own, and they could do nothing but watch as he tore their home asunder. He was the Lord, but they did not follow him, for he was not the Lord they sought.

She closed her eyes, imprinting the soft, dying light upon her soul, sending her internal cries throughout the distorted, broken lands.

She had found another. But this one was dying. His spark was fading quickly.

Immediately, countless voices and sounds filled her head. The words, thoughts, intentions and feelings of an infinite number engulfed her. They had to take the chance. Whether he was whom they sought or not, they could not let this chance pass them by. They would take back their home by force.

And he would be their vessel to do so.

She lowered her head towards his, and just as her lips were about to touch his own, she whispered.

"_**xE yorr cEzE ruinien…" **__(you will gladly turn into destruction, for that I am happy)_

* * *

><p>Silence.<p>

Not even the wind could be heard.

Pure…unfettered silence.

They all stared at the spot Astoria had landed. The last spot Seth was seen.

She gripped the grass beneath her with all her might. They watched her pull herself up, and then start clawing at the ground frantically. Claris ran over and grabbed her sister, struggling to hold the flailing child down, as she continued to try to _dig _her way after Seth.

"What…just happened…?" Denise asked, pale as a ghost.

"It would seem," Reala began, casual tone betraying his own shock. "that he has fallen into the Nightmare."

"REALA!" Nights yelled out, enraged.

"What did you do to him?"

Reala just linked. "Surely you must be joking, Nights. You saw everything as I did. I have done nothing but stand here the entire time. that…was his own fears taking hold."

"You _made _that thing!" Nights accused, pointing at the Spydre that had begun clicking its mandibles angrily. "You're the one who brought it here!"

"And I had no clue that he had such arachnophobia. A spider is a disturbing creature Nights, the Nightmare is filled with such beings. You saw the outcome, his Ideya is lost. That is _contrary _to my goal." Reala countered smoothly.

"Well I'm putting an end to it now!" Nights kicked off the ground, racing for Reala, who lowered his arms, preparing to take his 'brother' on.

**THOOM**

A sudden, massive shockwave erupted from a different side of the plateau they were on. The rare flat-ground in Spring Valley, being the source of their confrontation. In a wave of distorted air, surrounded by murky black and red mist, a figure had appeared. Nights halted its momentum, wondering that could _possibly _have emerged now.

And then the screaming started.

Male and female voices entwined together, rhythmically screaming as if in tune to an unheard beat. The sound of a continuous organ.

Music, had begun to play.

**(Lost Odyssey: Howl of the Departed)**

And standing, surrounded by murky mists…

Was Seth.

Everyone stared at him. Standing there, still as a statue. Astoria wrenched herself from Claris' grip only for the girl to lash out and grab the girl's arm again. His eyes were blank, unfeeling. Empty, as if he were merely a husk. Eyes giving off an unholy shine of red, hair fluttering about him like a black halo. He stared at the Spydre, at Nights and Reala…and spoke.

"**Jyel…faf…jenha…beja…guwo…gauzewiga…"**

As he spoke, the mist around him intensified, a strange creaking sound mixing with the screams and organ. The creaking gave way to individual tones of an electric guitar, which then mutated into an extended riff of a single note. The mists converged around and above him, a massive form dropping from the sky.

A pale fleshed monster, big as a gorilla eyes covered by a bowl shaped skull, muscles rippling on its arms and legs. It roared to the heavens as the song shifted to a continuous guitar and drum duet. Its echoing bellow was accompanied by the sky _shuddering_ turning a blood red, a ripple washing over the entire Valley, grass turning black, air filled with black and red flecks of particles. Reala's eyes widened.

"No…"

All around Seth, multiple ripples formed. Creatures of all kinds, horrific beasts of all makes emerged from within. Pale, naked, emaciated women covered in scabs and scars, nails sharp enough to cut flesh with ease, and bone with the same. Crawling human-like pink fleshed creatures legs and arms longer than normal, scuttling around like insects. Winged, veiny women with beaks and talons, saliva and blood dripping from their mouths as ear splitting screeches echoed through the once green Valley.

"The…_Old Ones_…" Nights spoke, voice barely heard by the others over the cries and calls of the creatures, as well as the music that had now picked up pace. Seth rose a single arm, pointing at the spider, and spoke one word.

"**Desfel."**

As one, they all screeched and roared, before they _all _tore forward, racing for the Spydre. The leader, the large gorilla-man-creature leapt to the air, slamming fist down upon the spider's eyes. It screeched in agony, as it became besieged by the Horde. Words had now began accompanying the song, words in a language none of them understood. All of them were baffled at how music could be playing at a time like this, let alone where it was coming from, but they all heard it.

_Is this…Japanese?_ Elliot thought to himself, too shocked and confused to even think of trying to get to Seth.

"No…this cannot be allowed to transpire…" Reala spoke, convinced something much bigger was going on. He flew past Nights, sweeping his arm out.

"WOLVEN!"

In a series of rips, a large group of disfigured, mutated snarling wolves appeared, racing for the hord.

Seth's head turned to the pack, barreling down on those he had called. Emptily, he rose his other arm, pointing at the pack.

"**Syana, reveris."**

An echo of a series of howls ripped through the corrupted Valley. In a wall of shadows, a pack of demonic looking wolves had appeared at Seth's side, tearing for the other pack racing for his Horde. Unlike the wolven, these seemed to be made of pure shadow. Black, plate-like, almost scaly fur, twin horns like those of a demon pointed forward over narrow snouts and blood red eyes. Their bodies were slender, fore and hind legs thin and narrow, yet claws still just as sharp. Their tails ended in a wicked curve, the light of the now black sun glinting off of them, revealing a sharp edge.

And to Reala's shock and disbelief, they all moved _faster _than the Wolven. In a manner of moments, the entire pack he had called forth, was ripped to bloody shreds. _THEY DIDN'T EVEN HAVE BLOOD!_

The creatures Seth had summoned to counter Reala's advances, tore through the Wolven like they were naught but cloth. Bolts of blue-white electricity arced from their horns, spears of pale blue frost ripped from their maws, claws and tails sliced through fur and flesh. The screeches of the Spydre, as it swung its legs, spat globs of green acid, launched spiked hairs…and yet it was being torn apart. Clumps of hair and flesh were being ripped from its body, its exoskeleton being pulverized by _more _of the odd gorilla creatures that had suddenly dropped from the sky.

Reala, and the others, could do nothing but stare at the carnage, the sky illuminated by the now black sun.

* * *

><p>She could feel it, as she stared at him. Something was horribly wrong, and getting <em>more <em>wrong by the second. This song, this music, it was the key. This weird song was trying to tell something. She felt like something in her heart was slowly fragmenting, splintering away like chips of glass. Astoria's eyes moved frantically, bouncing between the disfigured mutated shapes carving into the spider, as well as the massive murky black and red misty distortion surrounding Seth. His blank gaze, slow movements as if directing the creatures that came from the Nightmare. She felt him slipping away, that which always felt like "Seth" whenever she was in this world with him, was fading, and quickly.

He was losing himself in the nightmare, emotions becoming blank, soon to be nothing more than an empty husk. He would meet a fate worse than Wiseman, he would cease to exist. Whatever creatures he had called forth, were draining him, not of his Ideya, but of his soul, his very being.

And that was something she didn't want.

So she gathered herself. She needed to bring him back, to at least lessen the fragmentation, to show he wasn't alone in his fear. She took a deep breath, wanting nothing more than to give him hope again, to let him see through _her _eyes, that while **quite **scary, it was still something that could be gotten rid of. That she would face it down with him.

She ran forward.

"Story!"

The haunting song shifted to a much more primal beat, cries and calls as if one were swinging fist and foot heard behind the pounding drums. A fast-paced voice began speaking, as if dressing down those who were listening. Astoria ran up next to Seth, distortion buckling and writhing like an angry beast, tendrils of pure nightmare reaching for her. She let herself become enveloped within them, grasping his hand in hers, pushing all of her focus into one desire. The desire to understand. Pulling his arm, she reached with her other, his own reaching out to match. The moment they touched hands, the creatures all froze, before moving even stranger, as if possessed by their new unison.

As the music played, Seth and Astoria began a swift, hauntingly elegant dance, Astoria's Ideya flaring to life around them. The glittering lights passed through both of them, weaving in and out of their arms, through their chests. The mist pulsed, vibrated…and slowly, more glows began to accompany hers. One by one, as the two danced with one another, their elegant yet violent dance, small fragments of light were beginning to appear. Seth's Ideya…were slowly beginning to return. The lights bobbed slightly, gently coasting up and down, as if following the beat. Steps, twists, twirls, pivots, all circling around one another as if they were caught in a primal ritual for death and destruction. The creatures continued to tear at the gigantic demon-spider with reckless abandon, as the dance became more frantic with the building rambles of the speaking voice.

Their hair fluttered behind them, dancing in the curtails of the winds created from their movements. The distortion of Nighmare began to shimmer around them, wiggling and curling, as if caught within their frantic dance of destruction. Streams of light wafting around them, mists of power and fear, echoes of pain and sorrow streaking through the air surrounding their bodies, entering the souls of all who bore witness. Their forms were conduits for whatever primal, ancient force Seth had tapped into upon his descent into the Nightmare, their movements dictating the actions and wills of the creatures he'd brought forth through his terror.

With each synchronized step, their Ideya flared, the creatures Seth had summoned moving as if commanded by their dance. Claws ripped through hair and flesh, jaws clamped down on bone and blood. Fire raced over its body while lightning coursed through its blood. The denizens of the Nightmare, the Old Ones were a fearsome lot. The Sypdre summoned by Reala was easily locked down, every move bringing it pain, horrified and agonized screeches ripping from its maw. Shadowed wolves spitting flares of ice and spark, screeching harpies swinging claw and beak, angry demons pounding fist and foot.

Their hands intertwined, feet easily stepping in between one another as if reading each other's very thoughts. They moved in perfect harmony to the strange, powerful beat, all while screeches and roars, howls and squeals echoed through the now blood soaked fields, as if the girl's smaller size wasn't even an issue. The spider buckled as the drums seemed to beat harder, the two dancing in the circle of blood red light, closer and closer to one another, before an entirely unexpected event occurred.

The song reached a crescendo, the haunting echoed voices crying out their final tones. And as it did so, Astoria pushed all of her focus into one thought, one action. She pushed all of her hope into one, slim, final chance. As the song tapered off, Astoria threw her arms around Seth's neck, grasped the back of his head, and threw her lips upon his own.

* * *

><p>Everything stopped. The adults stared. Claris' mouth dropped open as she watched her sister seem to try to merge their bodies together, able to make out the exact details of the girl's muscles as she gripped Seth's head with everything she had. Elliot's eyes bugged out as Astoria looked as if she were trying to suck Seth's tonsils out.<p>

Nights and Reala floated overhead. Suddenly, without intent, a thought struck both of the Nightmaren watching the scene.

"_When Night entangles through false bliss…_" Reala muttered absently, as if surprised with the thought.

"_The Mare is ent through Maiden's kiss…_" Nights finished, turning to Reala in shock.

"But that's just…" Reala began.

"An old, human legend about escaping the grasp of the Nightmare. The _old ones_." Nights concluded.

The two watched as a loud **CRACK **seemed to echo from Seth's body. For a moment, they were afraid his Ideya had broken again. A distortion formed around him, and then 'shattered', ethereal chains appearing and then splintering, falling to the ground before bursting into fragments. The horde of Nightmaren he pulled through the massive tear in realities seemed to step away from the battered but still standing Spydre, silently fading into wisps of black and red, all turning and seeming to _bow _towards the two, locked in an embrace of passion.

If they had been closer, they would have seen one of the clawed, emaciated women, _smiling._

Slowly, Astoria's grip loosened, and she pulled back, letting her feet touch the ground once again, noting Seth's unstable hands still around her small waist. She knew what she did would probably make others think badly of him. She knew it wasn't the smartest idea. But it was an impulse, a **desire** to do so. She felt the instability within him, how _close _to insanity he was, when he returned, nothing but a blank, empty stare on his face.

She remembered how Wiseman came to be. And she had no desire to see her savior become the same, especially not because of a powerful fear he couldn't control. It broke her heart when she saw the sheer terror on his face when Reala summoned that Spydre, how he stumbled backwards, screaming in fear from her sister's grasp. The moment after Claris was sent flying by whatever strange field kept popping up in his defense, when his Ideya spiraled around him and then just…splintered, she knew that something was horribly _wrong_. She had no idea what horrifying sight he must have seen, that made him _pass out_, only to be claimed by the Nightmare.

But she knew one thing. _Something _had to be done to free him from the grasp of what Nights called the 'Old Ones'. The frantic, chilling yet all encompassing song that heralded his return only further strengthened her resolve. Regardless of their age difference, Astoria _knew _she shared something **special **with the elder teen. The two had _survived _where others would fall. He _saved _her, almost _died _for her. And unlike the battle against Clawz, this was not brought about by a random mistake of chance. This was him, making the choice to follow her, a girl he didn't even know, and make sure she was _safe_.

He saved her life, her mind, her _sanity_. If Wiseman could lose his Ideya, then what would have happened to her if Reala was left to take hers? She had been pulled fully into the Dream, the same way Seth travels back and forth. Her mind _and _body were in the other world when her life was threatened. He _chose _to go after her. He didn't have to. He could have easily ignored the strange differences, passing it off as coincidence. But he didn't. And she would be eternally grateful towards him.

She knew how her sister felt about the elder teen, getting the feeling he was beginning to feel something similar. She knew what her own feelings were, and were one to ask, she would have no problem stating, yes, she had a huge crush on him. He saved her life, kept her safe, standing before armed police, determined not to let her out of his grasp until she was back in the arms of family, even though he was bleeding and slowly dying from his wounds. Wounds he received while saving her. And he wasn't bad looking either, she'd admit. So of course she'd have a crush on him.

But all that was irrelevant. He was in pain, he was afraid, and nobody could do anything to snap him out of it except her. So she gave him her first kiss, throwing all of her feelings and desires into it, hoping to snap him out of whatever sanity-flaying trance he was locked in. She put all of her cards down, threw herself into the hope and belief in the power of **love**. And going by the shattering feeling that passed through her small form, and the fact his eyes were slowly turning back to their normal brown, she would say it worked.

Around them their Ideya twinkled in harmony, gently forming up, like colors slowly gravitating towards one another. Seeing this, Reala's eyes widened further.

"Again…how is this possible?" He muttered, extremely confused.

"They're…resonating…wait, what do you mean 'again'?" Nights turned to its 'brother'.

"This happened before. When I tried to take the girl's Ideya. I had her in my grasp, and he leapt up, grasping her hand. Their Ideya harmonized and merged together, and they were gone."

"A…**Resonance Reaction**?" Nights whispered, awed by the power within the two newest dreamers it found. It WAS them that were the source behind that feeling!

Astoria said nothing as his eyes returned to normal. She just pulled him close to her, holding him tightly, happy she'd succeeded.

"I…guess this makes us even then…" He spoke softly, words barely heard by the others.

"I like you. I like you a lot. But…right now…it wouldn't work. As much as I'd want it to. And I understand that. But…I wasn't going to let you suffer alone." Astoria spoke.

She felt a prick of wetness on her head, eyes snapping open, realizing what it was. She continued.

"But…we have something. Something few others can say they do. A connection. It was made when you decided to come save me. And…I knew. I knew you were in pain. I knew you were losing yourself to your fears. And I knew, if that happened, you would go away. Forever. So I returned the favor. And I don't regret a moment of it."

She felt his hands squeeze her softly, knowing her words were being embedded within his heart.

"So now, we're even." She spoke. "Complete equals. A life for a life."

The Ideya around them touched, beginning to fuse together. A powerful pressure began emanating off of the two, ripples of force pressing the grass in waves.

"So no matter what, I won't let you go. Wherever you are, I'll be right behind you. Whatever you do, I'll be right by your side. Because that's what I **want.** That's what I think friends do. Whenever you're afraid, I'll be right there, shivering in fear with you. Whenever you're angry, I'll be there, ready to punch their face in with you. Whenever you're sad, I'll be crying right next to you."

Her words made more tears slide down his face. "Tori…you don't-

She placed a finger on his lips, silencing him. "I know I don't _have _to do anything. But that's why I'm doing it. Because I **want **to. I'm doing it because I **choose **to. Just like you chose to come save me. You almost gave your life up so I could have mine. I may have brought you back from the brink of insanity but I didn't have to sacrifice anywhere near as much as you did to do it. No matter what. I'll be with you."

She could feel his gratitude. The first time anyone had ever declared undying loyalty and friendship to him. Hell the first time anyone declared friendship _period_. He nodded.

"Same here…"

She smiled at him. The Ideya flared brighter, completely fused into one set. Where should have been twelve, now were only six. They began to revolve around the pair, just like with their first meeting.

"Now." She gently grasped his arms. "What do you say we squash this bug?"

He took a shuddering breath, both due to feeling the fear bubbling back up, as well as trying to master his emotions.

"…yeah."

She nodded, turning towards the now stumbling Spydre. She felt him shudder next to her, and placed her left arm around his waist, squeezing gently. "I'm right here. I promise."

He swallowed, and nodded.

"You…you've got bigger balls than I do, Tori. Able to stare that…that thing down." She felt him shudder again, and gave another squeeze.

"I'd say we're about even. After all, I'm not the one who got her back carved open trying to run away from a mad jester." She quipped, smirking slightly.

"I don't remember Kefka being there…Damn if that's the case I'm glad it was claws. Don't fancy getting Forsaken Null'd to death." Seth spoke with a slight waiver, but a joking tone in his voice. Astoria smiled. He was resisting the fear. But she could still feel it raging within him. It wasn't 'normal' to her senses. It felt…embedded. Primal. As if it was imprinted upon his very soul to break him down after a certain amount of time staring at one of these things. As if it was _meant _to be a part of him, but at the same time, could possibly be removed. Something ancient, like a foreign but familiar memory. A programmed weakness, untraceable, nearly unstoppable.

She resolved to help him get to the bottom of it.

Squeezing him again, she rose her arm. The Ideya's rotations reached a fever pitch, becoming a shimmering prismatic ring around the two. The light rippling off of the ring seemed to form a protective dome around them, as she held him close.

"Together." She stated firmly.

He looked at her and nodded, copying her motion with his free arm, the other wrapped around her waist for both support and comfort.

"Together." He echoed.

The spider screeched, blood pooling beneath it. It stumbled, but began to rush forward, intent on capturing and devouring its prey, the delicious Ideya it was created to consume. The two closed their eyes, shimmering ring taking on an almost _silver_ tint. Taking a deep breath, they opened their lids and spoke as one.

"_**Dople."**_ _(Rejection)_

The rotation stopped suddenly, the world's colors inverting as the Ideya flared with light. In seconds, hundreds of prismatic arrow-tipped streams of energy ripped from the Ideya and slammed into the body of the spider. One by one, as each arrow slammed into its form, it jerked violently. The first few arrows tripped it up. In the moment it was in the air from its stumble, more of them crashed into it, forcing it to rise higher and higher into the sky, twisting and jerking as more impaled its body. Finally, as it was trapped in a cocoon of light, another group of arrows lanced upwards. Time seemed to slow, as from every direction, the arrows slammed into it as one. The Spydre gave a horrid, agonized screech, before it seized up, bursting into millions of fragments of multicolored light.

* * *

><p>Reala stared. <em>Those two…they didn't just…defeat it. They <em>_**killed**__ it. They destroyed its very __**existence**__! But how? Not even Wiseman commands such power, even at his highest strength! Such power was meant to be held only by the Lord of Dreams! Could such resonance, could such harmony between souls create an equal strength to the very God of this realm? Is this…the __**true **__potential of Dreamers? Of humans that access this world?_

Silently, contemplating the turn of events, Reala disappeared into a small portal to the Nightmare. Nights ignored its 'brother's' vanishing act, and gently coasted down to the pair, as the others raced for them. Their Ideya split back into individual orbs, and faded away, as Seth slowly dropped to his knees, and then his rear, Astoria gently following him, still holding him to her. The group stopped. What could be said? They'd heard every word the two spoke, though it was hard at points.

The adults were speechless, especially Katrina. Never before had _any _of them heard such conviction in a person's voice when speaking such words, outside of a movie. And due to the nature of the world they were in, they could _feel _she was speaking her heart's truth. It was shocking to see the thirteen year old girl deliver such a forceful, yet passionate kiss to the older teen, even more so when she declared her acceptance of her feelings towards him, and the likely-hood they would never be able to be what she desired.

Helen was just as shocked, her young heart set aflutter when she saw Astoria's passion filled kiss. Seth interested her, though most of it was appreciation for the confidence he seemed to have in her prowess within this world. But there was a shimmer to his eyes, something that gave her pause, but flickered at the edge of her perception. It took a moment, but she realized what it was. He felt vulnerable still. Exposed to the harsh currents of the world. Heart and fears laid bare for all to see, as if all barriers were stripped away, leaving him open to inspection. She recognized the feeling, remembering that was how she felt when she was taken by the Nightmare, before she was able to pull herself out with the help of Will and Nights.

So in a move that surprised everyone, even Astoria, Helen strode forward, slipped next to him, and pulled him into a tight hug. She focused every feeling of understanding towards him, knowing how weak and open he must feel at this point. Solidifying her friendship, her thankfulness for his trust and confidence in her skills. His eyes widened, surprised, but he could feel the emotions being flung at him. She too knew what he felt, and that she was willing to put herself on display like this gave birth to a feeling of gratefulness beyond words. He merely closed his eyes and gently touched her arm, conveying through motion and stance, his feelings.

Elliot realized as well, what was going on with their new friend, their mysterious world-hopper. He too remembered what it was like to have his insecurities stripped out of him, put on display for the world to see. Quietly, he slipped behind the three and placed his hand, comfortingly on the black-haired teen's shoulder. Surprised again, Seth looked up.

"You did good." Elliot spoke softly. "I'm pretty sure that beats my fear of falling flat on my face making that dunk, and you managed to beat it." Seth nodded, speechless.

"He's right." Claris said, dropping to her knees in front of Seth and pulling him into a hug of her own. "I remember how it felt to be on that stage, heat coming off the light above. I'd blown through the preliminaries like they were nothing, but for some reason, being alone, in front of those judges…I couldn't handle it. It wasn't until after we beat Wiseman the first time did I manage to stand up and kick my fears to the side. But even then, I had help. I had the memory that I'd beaten a veritable God, even if it was in a world of dreams, a world most wouldn't consider real."

"This…is the type of thing you children had to go through?" Helen's mother asked, shocked.

The group nodded.

"Wiseman preys on us through our fears and negativity, pulling us into his realm where he can attempt to drain us of our energies. We had to face some pretty scary things, as well as some just seriously _dumb _looking things." Elliot said.

"Jackle." Claris stated absently.

"Puffy." Elliot countered. Claris shook her head.

"Hey, she was at least gigantic. Something that big could easily crush half a house." Claris pointed out.

"Yeah. And she looked like a gay pride parade threw up on her." Elliot countered. Claris opened her mouth to object when he finished. "A color-blind, _retarded _gay pride parade."

Seth snorted coughing slightly before full blown cackling in laughter. The sheer _pointedness _of that statement was what drove him to the brink, chaotic emotions finally bursting forth now that they had a proper outlet. Only rather than sadness or anger, it was through joy. His laughter spurned Elliot to crack a smile, before chuckling himself at his own statement. Astoria followed, and the others soon followed after her.

Despite the wounds, and the scars in the ground, the field was being filled with laughter and joy. Unseen to them, during that joy filled moment, the sky began to clear, the grass re-growing where it had been scorched and severed.

* * *

><p>Somewhere…<p>

Floating in a grey void…

A mouth turned into a soft smile…

* * *

><p>The day was called to an end. The adults exchanged numbers, the youths promising to keep in touch. First to return to reality were to be the parents of the original dreamers. Seth stepped forward, the small group forming the same chain they did to enter, only with the difference being that this time, Astoria was holding his hand, where Claris was before. Taking a deep breath and focusing his thoughts on returning to the very spot they entered from, the backyard of the Sinclair household, Seth placed his hand out, and a ripple of air engulfed the tree in front of him.<p>

Slowly, they all emerged back into the waking world.

"Well…that was a thing." Seth spoke softly, mostly to himself. Astoria squeezed his hand, and he gave her a loose smile.

"Gotta head back in a sec, bring the others home. Think I might call it there…take a break for a day or so."

"Alright." Astoria seemed to have a frown on her face. The others were silent, watching the interaction.

"What's wrong Tori?"

"Ahh…well…it's my friend. Amanda…she…I haven't heard from her since my little vanishing act. I'm wondering if she thinks I blame her…" the girl responded softly.

"Can't call her?"

She shook her head. "She never answers her phone when I do…I was thinking of going over to her house tomorrow…force her to speak to me, y'know?"

"Want me to come with?" he asked.

She looked at him, slightly surprised. "You…"

"Wherever you need." He said.

"You'll always be there…" Astoria finished. She gave him a smile. "Thank you…yes. I'd like it if you came with me. Maybe seeing you will get her to realize everything is fine."

"When were you planning on heading over?"

"Afternoon…she's usually a late sleeper. If I time it right I'll be able to catch her before she goes anywhere."

"So…twelve thirty then?"

Astoria smiled, nodding. "It's a date."

Claris seemed to falter at the word 'date', something only Elliot picked up on. Seth returned Astoria's smile with one of his own.

"I'll see you tomorrow then."

She nodded, before giving him a tight hug, and a kiss on the cheek. "Take care, ok?" Seth nodded, flicking his wrist sideways in a good-bye to the others before vanishing in another ripple.

Astoria sighed. "I'll be in my room. I've gotta think of what I'm going to say tomorrow." She turned and walked through the back door into the house. Elliot took that moment to gently pull Claris' hand.

"C'mon CS. Park for a bit?"

"Huh?" Claris was watching the spot where Astoria gave her gentle smooch to Seth. "Oh…yeah sure."

"We'll be here when you get back." Elliot's mother said. The boy just nodded, the two teens walking out of the back yard.

* * *

><p>"Man, what a day." Elliot said, sitting down next to Claris, clutching a bottle of soda.<p>

"Yeah…" Claris said absently, staring off into space.

"Was weird having our folks there with us huh? They saw what it was we're up against…saw the world we've been going to, where we met."

Claris nodded slowly.

"Wonder if they'll try to stop us…not that they'd be able to. I mean, even if they blocked our phones or something, they can't keep us awake. And I'm sure Seth wouldn't stand for that anyway."

"Yeah…"

Elliot frowned, then sighed, knowing what was off. "Alright, what's wrong Claris?"

She continued to stare ahead. "…why? Why would she feel that way? Is that normal? Is that…natural? To be so…so taken, at that age? Is it healthy, for her to be clinging to him like that?"

"We were only a year older when we met CS. We'd already taken out Wiseman by that time. So she's a bit early, remember, she almost died to Reala."

"I know but…"

"What's the _real_ reason? You like him don't you?"

She looked at Elliot, surprised. But then she sighed. "You always could read me like a book."

"So ask him out." Elliot suggested, leaning back casually.

"I…I want to. I think. I don't really know what I feel, just that I like him, and he saved my sister. He's loyal, he's…lonely…"

"And he's not too bad in a scrap, comes up with pretty decent plans, and knows how to keep an eye on everyone around him."

"Seeing him so…so vulnerable, so _terrified_…it was…"

"Freaky." He supplied. "Believe me, even I was a bit jittery around that thing. But seeing him completely break down like that…shit I didn't think much phased him."

"When that…_wave _hit me, I felt everything. Just, just sheer terror and fear, rage and hatred bottled into one. It didn't…hurt so much as it was a surprise. But you felt it too right? His fear. It didn't feel…normal. Not in the slightest." She spoke, concerned.

"Almost as if it were forced. Like someone put it there. It wasn't just fear. It was _pure terror_. As if just being _near _that thing made him want to curl up and die on the spot."

"And when he came back…he was so…empty. So…" She couldn't find the words. "But…but how did _she _know? How could…"

"You keep forgetting CS. She had a point. They shared something _intimate_ when they met. He made the conscious choice to risk his life to follow and save her. They touched hearts, they shared **desires**. And you told me, he wouldn't let her past him until he was _sure _you were real. For a guy with no friends, and no family, he's got a big heart. We can't really understand something like that. Hell, Will and Helen would understand it better, considering they had to do the same for one another. You and I fought separately until that final fight. And even then we were barely able to work together. Will and Helen, Seth and Astoria, they were thrown together, assisting one another from the get-go."

"And then they did it again. They merged Ideya. _Merged_. As if they became one person!"

"Resonance Reaction. Something that is supposed to be impossible for us, because of human stagnation. All of it possible because they share the same number and type of Ideya. They hold the Desire we don't."

"But _why_?" Claris cried out.

"I think…it's because we _did _what we wanted to do. For us, our nightmares were enhanced by the Nightmaren, yeah, but they were born from our failures and feelings of worthlessness. Our fears became tangible, in a sense. For us, we weren't focused on any particular desire at the time, we just wanted to stop our own torment. We were pulled into a battle that wasn't ours, one we had no choice but to fight. But our experiences gave us the courage to pursue our real wishes. But that's the thing, we _did it._ You blew the pants off of those judges, and I pulled off that epic swish. We got the acknowledgement we sought, and then we got one another."

"So why didn't we have them _then_?" She asked.

"I dunno…maybe cause we weren't focused enough on any particular thing. Our adventures were dangerous yeah, but Nights was at the height of its power, it was focused enough for us. With them…with Seth and Astoria…they were thrown into a completely life-threatening situation. For us it was simple, we screw up, the Alarm Egg catches us, we wake up, we have to try again the next night. With them…they screw up, they die. Astoria had the Desire from the start, and from the sound of it, so did Seth. We don't know what it is they _wanted_, but we know what it is they called for, and that was a way out. So maybe they have the Desire, because they can _focus _on it. We wanted stuff, but we didn't want it bad enough."

"While they…they wanted to survive…to escape…with every fiber of their being. Every thought was locked onto one thing: 'get out'. It's like the Owl said…they had to have a complete, focused desire based in the immaterial. A desire of concept. I wanted to sing, but I was afraid. And my fear overtook my desire until after we beat Wiseman. But I wasn't _that _focused. I remember, I thought to myself: 'hey, I either succeed or I fail. It's only up to me how far I push myself, but it's up to them if they think I have what it takes for the part.' I was prepared for failure, and I was prepared to walk away without the part…but I had accepted that. I wanted it, but not so bad that I would have been crushed if I failed anymore."

"Same with me. I wanted to show I had the skills, even if they were older, and taller, but I was ready to eat pavement. I was ready to screw up spectacularly, but I wasn't afraid of it anymore. Swish or miss, I was good as long as I tried."

"But for them…there was no try. There was no 'if we screw up, whatever.' It was live, or die… She almost died that day Eli…I almost lost my sister too! And look at me! I'm…_jealous_ of the fact that she kissed the guy I liked _first!_ I should be _happy _she was alive to do it!" Claris cried out, tears running down her cheeks. "I'm **horrible!** How could I-

"Shh." Elliot quieted the girl, pulling her into a tight embrace. "You're _not _horrible. Honestly, I think…I think Astoria knows how you feel about him. That and her age combined, are what made her decide to let him go. The kiss…was both her expressing her feelings to him, because she wanted to, and to bring him back from the brink. She was forced to do a lot of growing up these past couple weeks. And going back and facing her past was a_ huge _step, one that not even most adults take."

"I **am** horrible! All I can think of is 'why her? Why not me?'"

"You're not horrible for wanting that type of connection with someone. The only problem is you just don't understand yet. We're not supposed to, we're just teenagers. Hell we're not even out of high-school yet! But maybe I can help with that."

She pulled away, eyes puffy, but confused.

"My dad used to tell me stories about my grandfather. How he would always, up until his death, stick around where he lived, because it was where one of his war buddies lived. My dad said: _'to be in a life threatening situation alongside someone else. To have to put your very faith of existence in the hands of another person…and to have the same shared with you…that sort of thing makes a bond that is almost impossible for normal people to understand. Those two saved each other's lives more times than they can count. That alone brought them together, but what kept them there was the bond that was made. They didn't know who the other was when the fighting started, but when it ended, they knew everything about the other. They were brothers, separated only by blood. That type of connection is very difficult to make, even many married couples rarely get close. But when you are fighting for your life, alongside someone else, and the two of you survive through the hell of death…something like that cannot be replaced.'_" Elliot spoke.

"Those two…Seth and Astoria…they knew nothing about one another. All Seth knew was that she was a girl strapped to a table. And all Story knew was that he was some guy freeing her from her binds. From there, they ran together, survived together, and opened the way home _together_. You barely know him, _**I **_barely know him. Hell _she _barely knows him, but for them it doesn't matter, because they've shared something even you and I haven't shared with one another. For us, Nights did most of the work, we were just there supplying power and drive. For _them_? Story and Seth, Will and Helen, they had to rely on _each other_ in a way you and I never did. As close as we became, as close as we _are_, we'll never be as close as _them _unless you and I share the same type of experience."

"So…so what you're saying is…" Claris began, hesitant. "That…even though…you and I have known each other for years…we fought together…we…_slept _together. We laughed and cried and screamed and shouted together…we're still not anywhere near as close to each other…as they are? Even though Story and Seth have only known each other for a couple months? All because their first meeting had them putting their lives in each other's hands?"

Elliot nodded.

"Astoria felt that bond. She felt his fear in a way none of us could, _because _of that bond. If it was you he'd saved? If it was you, who had that bond with him? It would have probably been you to bring him back. But all it would have done, was speed things up a little. She may have sworn undying loyalty to him, but she also backed off, to let you have your shot. There's no doubt in my mind she knows you're growing sweet on him. She'll always cherish him, possibly more than you ever will, even if you two by some chance end up dating and deciding to tie the knot. And he'll always cherish her, but all because of the bond they share. Give it time CS. Be with him for a while, and you'll make your own bond with him."

"And…you're…ok with this?" Claris asked. She knew he still had a thing for her. Hell she still had a thing for him.

"Honestly?" She nodded.

"Yeah. I'm alright with it. Somehow. I dunno. We were perfectly right to break it off when we did, and why we did. We work well together, but…it's like we agreed, our schedules were too chaotic for the time. Maybe a year or two down the line we'd be able to properly work out and focus on one another but…" He sighed, and then smirked, surprising her. "I'm pretty sure you and Seth will be happily close by then. And as much as I miss holding your sexy naked body next to mine, and our long as hell talks about everything and nothing, well…if I keep going the way I am, I'm pretty sure I can land someone of my own."

Claris rolled her eyes, huffing. "Gee, thanks. Way to make me feel special." She said sarcastically. The glare turned to laughter as Elliot furiously tickled her sides.

"You know what I meant missy!" She slapped his arms away, giggiling heavily, before sighing and leaning back into his chest.

"We made our own promise…didn't we?" She said softly.

"Yeah. Thick or thin, relationship or not, we'll stay friends…besides, if he hurts you, I'll kick his ass."

Claris snorted at that.

"What? I can take him."

"Elliot, honey, he can teleport. He could just port you off a cliff." She said.

"Yeah well I can fly, so that doesn't matter."

"True, but he could _also _teleport you to the bottom of Splash Garden. Or underneath Frozen Bell's lake. Or worse, what was it he said? Oh yeah '_I don't much fancy shifting back and forth randomly. I never know where I'm going to pop out. Hell I once shifted back facing a brick wall. Another step and I'd probably have been crushed. So that's why I try to come out where I came in, cause at least there I know I'm not going to telefrag myself.' _So if he **really **wanted to, he could just pop you into something deadly."

Elliot stared forward, blankly.

"…well shit."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **And there you have it. The "Old Ones." They had claim over him, for a time, but their claim was outsourced by Astoria's claim, which was made before theirs, and much stronger. They are the original Nightmaren, the ones that existed before Wiseman. And yes, the stringy haired woman was based off of the Witch, from Left 4 Dead. Claris is going to ask Seth out soon, and yes, there will be a date chapter. I'm still not sure what to do on that one (that's one of the ones that haven't been partially written yet) so we'll see. And yes, the Second Synchronicity **will **have a major effect on both Seth and Astoria. _Especially _since she used it to re-forge his existence from the brink.

**D&S Master:** Actually it wasn't prolonged wandering through Nightopia that alerted Reala or Wiseman. It was the Chaos Control that Seth did. The amount of dream energy that was released and constricted in that moment, used to tear a hole through three straight worlds, let them know something unusual was afoot. Reala just got lucky when he noted them at Mystic Forest, and took a gamble by waiting for them at Spring Valley.

And this chapter gives your answer: Neither. Instead, he gets possessed by the will of the Nightmare itself, and Astoria uses her own Ideya to grasp the fragments of his and re-form them. As for Astoria…one doesn't suffer needless pain without growing ire towards that whom caused it. And when you suffer as big a world-breaking experience as she has…resentment turns into rage and hatred.

And yes, I AM a glorious bastard.

**archsage328: **I reference everything I have experience with. You'll see a couple anime references in coming chapters…oh yeah, you'll see some. The Spydre is basically a giant tarantula, capable of doing things real-life spiders aren't. Skultulas are another thing I can't stand. Especially the Twilight Princess ones. I fell into that desert optional dungeon thing, and as soon as I hit the room filled with them I went "fuck this" and turned the game off. This was after I beat it already, but still.


	9. Dating Games

"So…you and my sister, going on a date huh?"

After spending a few hours convincing her friend Amanda that Astoria did not blame her in any way, shape, or form for her kidnapping, Seth and Astoria began returning to the Sinclair household, when Astoria got a call from her mother, asking if Seth would mind coming over for dinner. Confused, but interested, he obliged, to which he found himself finally within Astoria's room, a place she let few people, rarely even her own family members in, until dinner was completed.

The two spent a while, talking about everything and nothing, making Katrina smile as pearls of laughter rang down from the upstairs, and Claris nervous about what she was going to do. After thanking Katrina for the meal, and bidding them all a good evening, Seth began to leave, when Claris stopped him outside the house.

"_Listen…uhh…do you wanna go out? Together I mean. On Tuesday?"_

"_Uhh…sure. What time?"_

"_One? In the afternoon?"_

"_Alright. I'll see you then."_

Astoria had just found out, the next day, and was cheerfully grilling Seth about it.

"…_**yeah."**_

"Hmm? What's wrong?"

"…_**I have no idea what the hell I'm doing."**_

"You've…never been on a date with a girl before?"

"_**Tori I barely had any friends before meeting you guys. I mean, even if I had, your sister's famous. I mean I don't plan on treating her any different but-**_

Astoria giggled. "It's ok Seth. You'll be fine."

"_**You think so? I **__**really**__** don't know what I'm doing."**_

She giggled again. He was really nervous about this it seemed. _I guess he's taking it seriously. Poor thing needs to relax._

"Hey, hey. Calm down. How about this? I'll come over and help you pick stuff out to wear, give you some hints on what she likes."

"…_**it's kinda late…"**_

"Pfft, don't worry about that. If push comes to shove I'll just bunk at your place for the night. Nobody'll care." _At least they better not._

Seth sighed on the other end. _**"I'm not going to be able to stop you. Alright, we'll deal with what comes."**_

"Perfect, I'll see you in a bit then."

The two hung up. Astoria sighed. _Date with my sister…oh how I wish it was me instead. Oh well. She doesn't get him like I do…yet. I'll just wait and see what happens._

Throwing on a pair of shorts, for the evening was quite warm, and a sleeveless vest she bought, one similar to the one Seth always wore, she left her room and slipped down the stairs.

"I'm going out for a bit!" She called towards the living room, where both mother and sister were watching a movie.

"Seriously? It's getting pretty dark." Her mother called back, concerned and surprised.

"I'll be fine." Was the response.

_Hmm…well…at her age…I was running around at night too. And my neighborhood was much worse than this one…_

"Alright, but I'm calling you if you're out past eleven!"

"Kay!" _Yes!_

* * *

><p>"This is very unorthodox. And quite suspect." Seth stated to Astoria, as she entered his home.<p>

"Yeah well, they can go suck it for all I care." She countered. Seth went into the kitchen and grabbed two cans of soda, handing one to Astoria while popping the tab on his own.

"So what do I do? I'm completely lost."

"Well…she likes arcades, she likes fuzzy things…but she doesn't really notice her fame too much. So definitely don't get anything with her printed on it."

"Obviously. If she was that vain I wouldn't be even slightly interested."

"Oh, so you admit you're interested?"

"Gah, not what I meant!"

She just smirked at him.

"Come on, what do you like about her?"

"I don't bloody know…I barely know the girl. Hell that's one of the reasons I agreed to this, I wanna get to know her better."

"Good reason." Astoria nodded. "Well from what you know already."

"Ugh…" Seth leaned back to try to figure things out. "I dunno…she's pretty cute…gets some of my references, which is a plus."

"Elliot isn't a hardcore gamer but he introduced her to playing stuff for the hell of it. She actually started getting into it for a while…especially after dad died. Word of advice? Never challenge her to AH."

"Pfft." Seth snorted. "Weiss and I will crush her in one strike. Presuming I don't decide to annoy the piss out of her with Angelia." Astoria laughed.

"She's a total Heart main. I think it's the hair." She giggled out. "That's like, the one game she takes semi-seriously. Even Elliot has a hard time keeping up with her in that one."

"Looks like I found a good challenge area then. Alright…what else?"

Astoria got up. "Come on, let's see your room. I wanna see what we're dealing with in terms of clothes."

"…that…matters?"

She teetered her hand back and forth. "Somewhat. You don't wanna be wearing something formal to like, a carnival or something. …unless that's what you were going for. I don't get people sometimes." She admit.

* * *

><p>After half an hour of rummaging through his drawers for clothes, Astoria picked out a casual but decent looking setup. "Keep the vest too. That's like, your trademark." She looked around the room, seeing all different sorts of games, books, and strange markings on the walls.<p>

"What's all that?" She pointed at the odd designs.

"Oh…" He said, somewhat sheepishly. "…elemental symbols. In a fit of insanity, one day, I just…drew them on my walls, to try to stave off the nightmares. Didn't help but now I can't imagine them not being there. I wanted to make a seal array on the ceiling but…I wouldn't know how to." She squeezed his arm and pointed to a picture of a glyph, taped above his bed.

It was seven triangles arranged together. Four of them had combined to look very similar to the symbol for hazardous materials. The center triangle was upside down and smallest, the three at its tips, much bigger. Around the center triangle was a circle, and at the 'flat edges' of the center triangle, just outside the circle, were the remaining three, each with their top-most tips pointing outward. The one above, pointing north, the one on the left pointing south-west, and the one on the right pointing south-east.

"You had that on the back of one of your vests…the one that got torn up by Reala." She said. Seth nodded.

"That one's the symbol of Chaos. I made it in tribute to Tiamat, the Babylonian Goddess. It's said that she gave birth to the other gods and goddesses, but the noise they created pissed her off. So she planned on wiping them out. Or silencing them, somehow. Well, one of them got wind of her thoughts, and they went to war, where she was defeated by her own children. Her body became the earth and the lands, and her blood the seas. She was the original Chaos Goddess. Even those versed in the supernatural are afraid to invoke her essence, because she's not…very 'good'. She's very destructive, very deadly. And my personal favorite."

Astoria nodded, surprised, yet not. "Creation…through destruction…right?" She spoke softly, a foreign yet familiar feeling rushing through her heart.

"Yeah." Seth noted, surprised. Astoria pointed to another symbol. This one was that of a Celtic Cross, stabbed into an infinity symbol, six swords sticking out from the north-west, north-east, east, west, south-east, and south-west portions of the circle around the cross itself, and a seventh, much more wicked looking sword, faded in the background behind the rest of it.

"Ahh…that one's mine. My personal creation. I still…don't exactly know what it means, but it popped into my head one day, and looks totally badass, so I made it and put it up." Astoria smiled at him.

"You have interesting ideas."

Seth sighed. "Is there anything else I need for this date?" Astoria tilted her head, thinking. Suddenly she reached up, running her hands through his hair.

"Hmm…should wash your hair."

"Why, is it greasy or something?"

She shook her head. "No…but we should do it anyway. When was the last time you did it?"

"err…almost a week ago?"

"Yeah, should definitely do it then."

* * *

><p>"You really need to take better care of your hair." She said. A soft moan was all she got as a response. Astoria giggled to herself, working her hands on Seth's scalp, foamy suds rising with each maneuver.<p>

"Why does this feel so good?" Seth asked absently.

Astoria smiled. "Because getting a massage usually does. You're tense about a _lot _of different things. You need to calm down, and this'll help."

"Why are we doing this in my sink again?"

Indeed, the two were in his kitchen, Seth propped up on a chair, head bowed while Astoria worked his scalp.

"Would you rather I jump in the shower with you?" Astoria stated with an unseen blush.

"Uhh…no." He said. "Maybe when you're older…" He muttered. Astoria's blush grew.

"I heard that."

"Dammit…"

She reached over, turning the faucet to be above Seth's head, the warm waters rushing through his hair and down his face. He sputtered noisily, and Astoria snorted in laughter.

"Pfft. I think-plblth-I got-ptegh-suds in my mouth. Kgah!" Astoria shifted his head in response, so the water could splash on the side of his face. With a loud slurping noise he took in what he could, before she turned him again and he spat it out.

"ok…little better."

* * *

><p>"Hey mom."<p>

"_**Story, where are you? It's eleven-thirty."**_

"I'm at Seth's. He's never been on a date before so I'm helping him set up."

That gave her mother pause. She suddenly remembered something Claris told her before. _"She's been to his house before, so she might just go there if she feels too uncomfortable." "She trusts him that much? A kid she just met?" "He saved her mom. And wouldn't let her go until she was back with me, until he had proof she'd be safe."_ She thought back, remembering the heart-felt promise the two shared, just after she saved his very soul from insanity.

"…_**I see. Are you…coming home tonight?"**_

Astoria was surprised. She expected her mother to complain at least a little. "I…well…it's getting pretty late…and…I mean, it's not a long walk or anything. And I'm sure Seth wouldn't mind…"

"_**But you think it's a better idea to stay over."**_

"…yeah…?"

"_**Why?"**_

"…he has nightmares. You didn't hear him, he never makes it to Nightopia. His dreams are usually filled with that girl calling for her daddy, or random things, but he never…makes it there. I want…to make sure he gets a good night's sleep. I don't want Claris complaining about lack of attention because he was exhausted."

Katrina sighed. _**"Alright. I trust you. And I trust him. You two have a very unusual relationship…and I can't say I understand it in the slightest. But…I know you feel safe with him, so I won't push."**_

Astoria smiled, a few tears running down her cheeks. "Thanks mom…you're the best."

* * *

><p>She stepped out of the bathroom. The t-shirt she wore, with a replica of his personal glyph on the back, was a size or two too big for her, and it reached down to her knees. Her feet padded along the hardwood floor, till she reached his open doorway.<p>

"Sure you wanna stay the night?" She nodded in response. He shrugged and started to get up, but she pushed him back down. "uh-uh."

"Err…?" His eyebrows rose.

"I'm bunking with you."

"Astoria-

"No. I've made my decision. You have a hard enough time getting rest as it is with those damn nightmares. I'm at least going to be here with you if you wake up from them."

"But then _you _won't get any sleep." She shook her head. "I don't care. I sleep more than you do anyway half the time. Plus, **I **don't have a date tomorrow. I'm staying, right here."

He sighed. What could he say? They'd shared minds twice now, the second time showing more to the other than before. They knew each other perfectly. There was no perversion or alternate intent in her words, or stance. _Stupid…illogical partially inappropriate situations…_

"Fine…fine…" He leaned back, sliding under the covers. She plopped down next to him, pulling the sheets over herself and grabbing his arm before throwing it around her waist.

"What-

"Shh. Shut up and relax." She wiggled a bit, snuggling into his chest, before letting out a soft yawn.

"This is friggin weird…" she heard him mumble. She gave a soft snort and pushed her butt into his crotch in retaliation.

"Oi!"

"Relax. If a parent can do this with their child, then so can we."

She felt him sigh behind her, but his arm seemed to tense slightly, pulling her closer. She smiled to herself, as sleep began to claim her, the constant pounding of her heart in both elation and nervousness, draining her of energy.

"…thanks…" she heard.

"Anytime."

* * *

><p>"Hey…mom? Where's Story? She's not in her room."<p>

Katrina was in the kitchen, wearing a red apron with a pink heart on the front, the text "Meals need Love too" written underneath. She was currently bent over, placing dirty dishes from the sink into the dishwasher.

"She's over at Seth's house…helping him get ready for your date." Was the reply.

Claris blinked, surprised. "Already? We don't head out till one!"

"No. She stayed over."

"…stayed…over…?" Claris tilted her head, confused. Then the answer hit her, and she gasped. "You mean that's where she went last night? And she _stayed_ there?"

Katrina nodded, putting the apron on a small hook, turning to face her elder daughter.

"I…but…_why_?" Claris breathed out.

Katrina sighed, and then quoted them. "_If you have need, I'll be there._" Claris' eyes widened. "He's never been on a date before. Ever. So she went over to calm him down and help him get prepared."

"And that took all _night_?"

"Knowing her? Probably not. But she was…worried about his nightmares. I guess she wanted to be there in case something woke him up."

Claris sat down, a little surprised. "And you're ok with that?"

Katrina sighed, sitting in a chair across from her daughter. "Honestly I'm a little…nervous about it. But that's…that's the mother in me talking. Really…he's the first person she truly _bonded _with since your father died. And…well…as long as she doesn't come back pregnant, I don't _want _to know what she's up to."

"Really? Why not?"

"…because after seeing what you all go through…to keep us all safe…I've realized none of you are truly _children _anymore. She hasn't been the same since your father died…and we haven't truly been the best to her since then. You and I were too caught up in our own emotions and lives to pay much attention to her. And then…_Reala_ went and took her. If it wasn't for Seth…I'd have lost both your father, and your sister. And she's connected to him on a deeper level than I'll ever understand. I'm better off not knowing what she does with him…because I'd rather not open my mouth and judge something I know nothing about."

Claris bowed her head slightly. "She…did get quieter…after he died…" She looked at her mother. "But…don't you think it's a bit…unhealthy, how close she's getting to him?"

Katrina sighed again. "It's unfortunately like Seth said. Sometimes, we have to do unhealthy things before we learn what's best for us. I've got no idea what it means to… 'merge Ideya' or anything. But whatever it is, brought them extremely close. And they've done it twice now. And there's no doubting that since she met him, she's been…brighter. Happier. Happier than she's been since then. I'm not cruel enough to try to separate them. And even if I was, how would I? He can easily whisk them away to a world almost nobody can follow. To a world that would defend them, just as much as he defends it."

"You…think Nightopia _itself_ would protect him? Protect them?" Claris asked, surprised at her mother's theory.

"Claris…do you really think those _creatures_ would have let Astoria pull him from their grasp, if they were _against _him? You saw what I saw honey, he was directing them. _They _were directing them. And when she pulled him back completely, they left. Quietly. I don't know anything about them, but I know my horror plots. The strange demon-ghost things don't just bow out silently when someone gets pulled from their grasp."

Claris nodded absently, her mother had a point.

"Anyway, don't you have a date to get ready for? Can't have the Star of Twin Seeds looking like crap now can we?"

* * *

><p>"You sure I look alright?"<p>

Astoria gave an exasperated sigh. "For the last time Seth, you look _fine!_ Stop being such a _woman _about this!"

"Oi!"

The two were almost at the Sinclair household. Seth was wearing a casual pair of black pants _"Because tomorrow isn't going to be all that hot for once" _a red t-shirt with a series of black triangles shaped in the form of a Hazard sign, on the front, and a replacement blue-jean vest, this one however missing any sort of decoration.

"I miss my old vest…"

"I know. It _was _pretty cool. How'd you get the design on it anyway?" Astoria asked, interested.

"Got it done in a place back in New York…I lived there before we moved here three years ago…"

"Hmm…I'll have to ask around, see if we have anywhere like that here…"

Seth nodded, absently. Astoria huffed, stepped faster and then stopped in front of him.

"Alright mister, listen up! You're going on a date with my sister, and you're going to have a _good time!_ That means no thinking of Nightopia, no pondering about her fame, no worrying about any sort of short-comings you think you have in that other world, got it?"

"Tori-

"No! You need to relax, and have fun. What's your goal for today?"

"Uhh…I dunno…"

"Wrong! Your goal is to _have fun!_ No worries, no thoughts, nothing that gets in the way of you having a good time, got it?"

He could do nothing but nod. _Yeah…definitely been watching too much Haruhi._

"Now, what's your goal?"

"Have…fun?"

"Exactly! Now, there's a pizza place that she likes not too far down the street. Walking distance so you don't have to pop anywhere. There's an arcade a little ways towards the TST but its got a lot of stuff, even some imported straight from Japan too. They've got a few shooters, and I know I saw an AH and BB and I _think _I saw a Melty cabinet there too."

"Melty Blood? Seriously?" His interest was now spiked.

"I _think _so, I can't say for certain, but I know I saw the other two last time I went with Claris and Elliot. She's beaten him a fair few times in AH, so I want you to kick her ass and take her down a peg."

Seth blinked. "Wouldn't…that just piss her off?" Astoria shook her head.

"No she's the competitive type, when it comes to some things. She'll just want to kick your ass more, which will make her want another date."

Seth gave a soft smirk. "You planned all this out didn't you?" She laughed and grabbed his hand, pulling him along.

"You're not the only one who can split their thoughts while doing something else…not anymore."

After another minute of walking, they'd finally reached the house, where Claris was just stepping out. Clad in a dark red tank-top- _"hey! You two match!"_ with a white thin button-up over shirt on top of it, a pair of white sneakers with pink stripes, and a cream colored skirt, she gave a gentle wave towards Seth.

"Since when do you own a skirt?" Astoria blurted out, a little surprised. Claris just rose an eyebrow.

"I've always had a few skirts. I just saved them for special occasions." She was forced to blush at Astoria's retort.

"Heyyy, hear that Seth? This counts as a special occasion!" Claris' face heated up, while Seth just gave a soft chuckle. Astoria pulled them close before pushing their hands together. Both of them blinked at her.

Katrina watched from the doorway, smile on her face at her youngest's antics.

"Alright you two. Go and have fun. And don't do anything Mom wouldn't do…which…really doesn't prohibit you from doing much now that I think about it." Astoria finished with a finger on her chin, looking as if pondering things.

"Story!"

"I'm going, I'm going." She bowed mockingly and then went into the house. Katrina stepped aside to let her youngest pass, unable to hold back.

"Try not to be out _too _late? And if you're going to stay over his house honey, give me a call?"

"Moooom!"

Katrina laughed, waving the two off before turning back as well.

Claris was flushed heavily. "One of these days…"

"Break through the limits with your drill?" Seth quipped. Claris gave a soft smile.

"Still trying to pierce the heavens there Seth?" She countered. Seth smirked and made his retort.

"Well, if what Tori says is true, your '_heavens_' have already _been _pierced."

Claris' eyes widened, cheeks flaring once again.

"Man is it really _that _easy to make you blush? Damn I should start betting on that…"

"Bastard!" She bit out, slapping his arm.

* * *

><p><strong>KNOCK-KNOCK<strong>

"Story? Hey do you want…?" Katrina trailed off, seeing her daughter's room a mess. Clothes were thrown about everywhere, drawers left open. But there was one space on the bed, where a single shirt lay. A black shirt with a strange design on it.

_That's…I don't remember her having this before…_

She stepped towards the girl's bed, picking the shirt up before inspecting it. It was two sizes too big. And definitely wasn't a girl's shirt. _Where…did she…?_ She put the shirt back down, feeling a little guilty for invading her daughter's privacy. However she was now quite confused. It had only been maybe ten minutes at most, since Astoria came back. Where could she have gone?

As the woman descended the stairs, contemplating calling out for her daughter, she heard a muffled noise. Turning, she saw the doorway that led to their basement. Getting closer, the muffled noise grew louder, sounding like something striking something else, something soft, but firm. She opened the door and slowly traversed the stairs, seeing the downstairs light on, the sound becoming clearer.

There was Astoria, rhythmically attacking a punching bag, suspended from the ceiling, dressed in a pale red Gi. The girl's hair was flying behind her, as the side of her leg impacted the large red cylinder shaped object. Katrina grew a little closer, wondering what possessed her youngest to suddenly start training again, something she didn't take that seriously before. The mother of two grew worried as she listened to her youngest's ramblings.

"…swear to Tia…" **SMACK** "if she hurts him…" **SMACK **"I'll fucking _tear _her goddamn heart out!" **BANG**

* * *

><p>The two of them had ordered a couple slices of pizza. The walk to the parlor was filled with laughter, jokes, random references to gaming and anime, and sometimes companionable silence. But something was on Claris' mind. Something was bothering her, since the morning.<p>

Honestly, it was bothering her since the day she met him.

The two sat down with their orders, eating in silence, both lost in their own thoughts.

"Why'd you do it?" Claris asked suddenly. "Save my sister, I mean."

Seth tilted his head. "You didn't have to ask me on a date if you wanted to pick my brain."

Her eyes widened. "What? No! No no, I-

She sighed and bowed her head.

"Listen…I'm…I didn't ask you out to pick your brain. I'm sorry. I'm just…very confused right now. I like you. I do. And I want to get to know you better. It's just…I've never met a guy…a _hero_ like you before. And unfortunately for me, a lot of my questions have to do with you saving my sister…because that's the first thing I learned about you. You _saved _my sister, you did something impossible, even more impossible than my fight with Wiseman. All I could think of is 'what makes a guy put his life on the line out of the blue like that? What motivates that thought? What's he _like_?'"

Seth reached over and gently grasped her hand. "It's alright. I understand."

"Well I _don't!_ And that's what my problem is. And that's…that's why it sounds like all I want to know about is what goes on between you and my sister. It's _really _not, but it all comes back to you and her. I want to know who you are, for _me_ but to do that, I have to look at the facts, and the facts are that you and her are very close, that you saved her life. And I want to understand. I really do."

He could see the turmoil in her eyes. She was on the verge of tears. Seth gave a deep sigh, turning away slightly, staring out the window.

"…it's because we all understand the same pain."

Claris blinked away the few tears leaking out of her eyes. "What do you mean?"

"We all know the pain of losing family. Of having someone taken from us. You, me, and her. The Ideya no doubt helped a lot, but because we know the same pain, I've no doubt that if she and I were to have spoken any other time, we'd be friends."

"You think so?"

"Misery loves company. Pain attracts pain. When you know someone, who's felt the same pain as you have, that pain gets a little more bearable. Because you know you're not alone in that pain, and there's constant proof, right in your face. She felt alone. She knew she wasn't, but she felt it. Nobody she could talk to, nobody she felt like burdening. And then fate threw her and I into each other's way."

Claris nodded softly.

"I don't know why I saved her. I really don't. I just…saw something strange, and followed. It was stupid really. But it was something I knew, something I knew only I could even come close to figuring out. So I did. Honestly…I did it because I felt like it. I did it because I wanted to. There was no 'oh my god I have to save that girl' or 'now's my chance to figure out what's been going on'. It was all 'huh…that's…a bit strange. I'm gonna go take a look.'"

"It's…that simple? You did it…because you _wanted _to?" Seth nodded.

"I've learned…I learned early on in my life that if I didn't want to do something, and I was forced to, it always failed, or ended up shitty. So I've been living my life, doing the things I feel like doing. I follow my instincts, and my impulses. And for the most part, they haven't led me wrong."

_A man who follows his own desires, and not those of anyone else. _Claris thought. _No wonder he holds the Ideya of Desire. He does what he wants…because he wants to, and for no other reason than he believes he should._

The two finished their slices in silence. Claris was contemplating how badly she'd botched things, when Seth suddenly spoke up.

"So…I hear you're a Heart main." He said out of the blue.

Claris blinked for a few minutes, before the statement settled in her mind. She gave a soft smile. _And he knows how to fix an awkward moment._

"Yeah, I'm pretty good as her."

"Well then. It's official. I can't let this stand." Claris blinked, worried she'd somehow messed things up worse.

"I challenge you to a duel!"

It took her a moment, but she realized what he was getting at. She gave a coy smirk. "Bring it on. I'll crush you in one strike."

* * *

><p>"<strong>DOWN!"<strong>

"Fuck!" Seth yelled. Some of the crowd cheered. The sounds of battle, buttons being clicked, joysticks being moved rapidly raced through the arcade. Games had been dropped in the middle of rounds, races lost intentionally for everyone to see the spectacle going on towards the back. A small crowd had gathered once word spread that Claris Sinclair was back, and with a _different _boy this time. not only that, but he was actually keeping up with her, in the one game she played regularly.

Claris had become a regular since the accident that claimed her father, finding interest in a very specific fighter. The owner of the Arcade tended to slip her blue-haired boyfriend a few extra coins to keep her happy and distracted from the sorrows of the world. And now she was back, with someone different. But unlike before, he'd let people crowd around them, because even he'd have to say, this new kid was doing pretty good.

"**DOWN!"**

"Fuck!" Claris yelled. The rest of the crowd cheered.

The last round. Whoever won this would win their little matchup for the day. None could see it, but they could _feel _the concentration going on between the two. The crowd gasped and yelled, cheered and jeered as each strike, dropped combo, or even outright miss occurred upon the screen. Fist and foot, beams and swords all flying across the screen.

"**BREAK DOWN!"**

"YES!"

"DAMMIT!"

Some of the crowd groaned, while the rest cheered louder. The two bowed to the crowd, before moving on, the group dispersing.

"Dammit…I _had _you there." Claris complained.

"2A my dear. First rule of Melty Blood. 2A." Seth replied.

"Bah…fuck your 2A. Stupid sword hands…how'd you do that anyway?"

"Down Down A, B or C. Equips a sword on her arm that gives her extra range. Goes away once she's hit though."

"Why'd you keep picking Milly though?"

"Err…cause she's the only Arcana I know how to use right?" Seth responded, sheepishly. Claris just laughed.

"Nothing beats the power of Love!" She exclaimed, causing a few people around them to chuckle, knowing what she was talking about.

"The final boss of AH1 apparently begs to differ." Claris blinked.

"Wait…_THAT _was the final boss of AH? Seriously?"

"Yeah I dunno the story behind that either."

"No wonder she looked so familiar…" Claris mused.

As they left the arcade, the sky had turned a soft orange.

"Evening already…?" Seth mused.

Claris frowned, something on her mind.

"What's wrong?"

"…how far…have you gotten in learning to fly?"

Seth blinked, not expecting that question.

"Err…not…very? I…haven't been back since the Spydre…"

Claris nodded to herself. "Take us."

"Eh?"

"Take us there. I want…I want to show you something."

"Right now?" Seth was a little shocked, and slightly unprepared. Claris nodded.

"Uhh…alright…" _Does that mean the date's over? I'm really confused…_

* * *

><p>The ground warped beneath their feet. Walking was difficult, the stone beneath him wobbling and morphing like jell-o.<p>

"What…?"

"Welcome to Soft Museum!" Claris exclaimed, proudly. "Dad…was always a major Art buff, so when I found this place I instantly fell in love."

"The hell's with the ground? I can barely stand."

"Strange isn't it?" She said casually, walking like she had no problem. "It takes some getting used to. The ground here is like a trampoline. It absorbs your weight, and if you bounce on it…" She gave a soft hop, and was launched into the air doing a simple flip before landing, the ground bending below her again, where she bounced higher. Throwing her arms out, she coasted the air to a gazebo, landing on top of it, crossing her legs.

Seth saw everything. Shaking his head, he stopped trying to _walk_ normally, and instead jumped forward. Tensing his legs as he felt the ground beneath him shifting, he sprung up, flipping forward and landing. Only he landed improperly, and fell backward, bouncing on his back. Claris giggled, gently floating downward.

"It's like friggin rubber." Seth spoke, slowly rising to his feet. Claris nodded. "I know."

"I don't know why this place is so weird, compared to the rest of Nightopia, but honestly, it's beautiful here and one of my favorite places. There's a few solid areas, where the ground is normal, but we'll have to walk…or fly there."

"Which way?" Claris pointed north. "Over those hills. It's a big building, you can't miss it."

"Bounce race?"

Claris blinked and then smiled, happy he wasn't upset. "You're on."

* * *

><p>Claris won, but only barely. Seth was much more adept at bounding than flying, seeing as it was all he could really do.<p>

"How do you do it?" The two of them had taken a rest just inside the museum proper, laying next to each other, staring at the ceiling.

"Fly? I don't know…it just comes naturally to me. I spent so long surrounded by the feeling of freedom while merged with Nights…it was just simple to imagine that feeling for myself."

"I never got that feeling…"

"But you're doing really well! You've got the hang of catching the air, now you just have to direct yourself."

"Yeah…but it's like I said…my mind is too logical sometimes. It won't let something happen, in this world, if it doesn't understand _why _it could happen. I can only barely understand the concept of floating…I don't know how you do it. It makes no sense to me. I've…never felt that freedom feeling, that weightlessness. How do you turn? How do you go so fast?" He turned to her, asking.

"I don't really know. It's all instinct. I guess…I just imagine it like swimming. Like swimming in a pool. The air just…lifts me, the way water would. I'd sink if I didn't focus…that's what I believe. But it's not an intense focus, it's just…it's like floating on the water. You just have to let it happen. And to move, you just…push. You push yourself, kinda like kicking off a wall."

"Skating on sausages…huh?"

"What?"

"Sorry…Guilmon reference…basically, imagine the impossible to be possible right? Well I can imagine it…my brain just doesn't know how to convert it into logic."

"You said you can shift your sense of gravity, right?"

"Yeah. I can kinda fly if I do that, but I have to keep shifting it, and I basically 'fall' that way. It doesn't work…it's not as fluid as how you guys do it."

"But you flew before! With Will and Helen, against Clawz!"

"Yeah but that was different…"

"How?" Claris sat up, staring down at her companion.

"I wanted to live."

She stared at him.

"It's like with Astoria…it's like with the Spydre. Like with Gillwing and Clawz…I wanted to Live. I wanted to keep surviving, I wanted to be able to wake up the next morning. My parents are dead, I have all of their money, I have to pay bills on time, I have to go to school…I had to deal with all that _shit _from everyone here…"

He sighed, looking away.

"I survive. It's what I do. I live, where others would die…because I don't _want _to die yet. As much as I want to fall asleep and never wake up, I don't want to _die _just yet. And because of that, I live. I can do stuff like fly, when I _need _to, because it's required to _survive_. Logic doesn't matter when it comes to survival. You do whatever you can, to live, no matter what rules it breaks, no matter how illogical. Sense…logic…reason…they're meaningless when it comes to living. But outside of that…if I don't see how it could work, if I don't understand how it can happen, I can't do it."

He turned back to her, seeing tears in her eyes. "Literally, the only thing keeping me from flying as freely as you do, here, is myself. I _don't _understand how it can work. I have ideas of how it _could _work, but I can't _do _those things. I don't know _how _to do them. I've never had experience like you did, of flying as someone else, yet still able to feel everything. So it's not like I can override my brain with 'well I've done it before, under the exact same circumstances. I've done it easily. I know how it feels, I can just re-create that feeling.' I don't have that. I have to do everything from scratch."

Claris sighed, wiping away the moisture on her face.

"I'm sorry…"

"What are you sorry for? It's_ my _problem. Really, I'm happy you're trying to help. You've given me a few more ideas I can try out…but honestly until I understand for myself how it works, how _I _can do it, it just won't be done. I'm not giving up though."

Claris nodded. "Good…because…I want to share it with you. I want to fly with you, someday." She looked him dead in the eyes. Unseen by either, a soft, faint black outline was beginning to form around her.

"When this is all over. I want to go flying with you. When we can be sure that nothing will attack us, that nobody will show up and ruin it. I want to show you the real beauty of this world, from my eyes. I want to share the skies with you Seth." She was right in his face as she spoke. Her eyes were all he could see, neither of them seeing the gentle, wavy darkness beginning to become more defined.

"I…can't say I'd mind that…" The two drew closer.

Suddenly, Seth's watch beeped. The two blinked, the moment ruined. The building darkness vanished instantly. He looked down, seeing the numbers 8:00.

"Ahh…we should…head back I think." Claris' cheeks were red at what she realized almost happened between them.

"Yeah…yeah we should…"

* * *

><p>They stood at her front door.<p>

"Seth…I had a really good time today."

"Same here. You're just lucky we were playing stick and not pad. I'm much better there."

Claris smirked. "Well then, I'll have to come over and kick your ass sometime."

"Ha, bring it on."

She smiled at him, pulling him into a close hug.

"Thank you…I haven't had that much fun since…well…" She was hesitant to say it. "Since…Elliot and I broke up."

"What…-ah…never mind."

"What made us split?" She guessed. Seth nodded.

"Our schedules. He was always practicing for his team…and I was always busy singing or making videos or whatever. We ended up barely having time for one another. We had fun when we did but…neither one of us felt like it was fair to the other if we stayed with each other when we couldn't even live our own lives at the moment. We both thought it was for the best."

Seth nodded again. "Do…you miss him?"

"Sometimes. I see him a lot more now though, since his team won the last championship. They're taking it easy for a bit. Oddly enough I haven't been pestered by the agency lately…I think they're giving me time with my Sister, seeing as she was kidnapped."

"Ever think of getting back together with him?"

"Every now and then…I did. But then…well…I think I want to see where _we _go first." Seth's eyebrows rose in surprise.

"Really? I'm not the best-

She placed a finger to his lips. "Don't sell yourself short. I don't think even Elliot would have ran off and chased my Sister like you did. And even if he had, I don't think he would have protected her so fiercely. You're a good person, Seth, regardless of what anyone else says about you. You're not as athletic, and nowhere near as popular as he is, but you've got a good head on your shoulders. I've known him longer, and he and I have shared…a lot. But…I want to see those memories with you as well. I'm glad I worked up the nerve to ask you out, and I really enjoyed today."

Seth nodded, staying quiet.

"And…well…I've never…taken Elliot…to Soft Museum. I barely even told him about it. It was…my special place. And now I've shared my special place with you."

Seth's heart pounded. Until meeting Astoria, nobody had ever done something like that.

"Claris…I'm-

"Shh. I know. I'm happy I did. Even if I _could _show him…I don't think I really _need_ to. He and I…are really close friends. Just like you and Astoria are. And…I'll admit, I was a little jealous of her, for a while. Because she didn't have the scheduling conflicts I did…she was…free…to do as she pleased. And seeing how _hard_ you were willing to fight for her…seeing you stare Nights down like that…it really drove home what kind of guy you are. You didn't cave in and just blatantly trust what Elliot and I had to say about Nights, you kept Astoria safe until you were certain for yourself, that Nights wasn't a threat. And…while it hurt a bit that you didn't trust me, it made sense, later on."

She flushed slightly. "And…I can't say I didn't…mind…being in your arms…before you did that _stupid _idea."

Seth gave a soft chuckle, remembering his jump. "Yeah…not my most brilliant of plans…"

"Elliot's tough…but I think you're a bit tougher. He's…never really had to worry about too much in his life. He gets a lot of stuff but…you…get it better…you understand it deeper, than he can. And he can be pretty deep when he wants to be. From afar he looks like the typical jock but he's not…but you…you're different. With him, I feel like I could tell him something, and he'd get it, because we've known each other for so long…but with you, I feel like I can tell you _anything_ and you'd get it because you _get it_. Like, you'd understand on a completely different level than he would…and that means a lot to me…"

She hugged him again. "I liked today, and I'm definitely going to be asking you out again. I want to spend time with you…I want to get to know you more."

"Still gonna kick your ass though."

"Pfft, bring it on. You're not the only one with a decent amount of cash on you. What'd you say? You were a Mu main? Fine…next time we go out, we're playing that one."

"Oh good, I need competent competition or else I'm just going to keep sucking."

She smiled at him, and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "Take care Seth. I'll see you soon, ok?"

"…yeah." She waved and turned, entering her house. Seth just shook his head, surprised at the day's events.

_Today went too well…ugh I hate being cynical but my life never goes this good for very long…_

_Claris Sinclair…huh? Last person I expected to be going out with. Then again, I never expected to be saving anyone's life either…_

_And to think…all this…because of Wiseman…_

_I'll have to thank him…before we kick his ass…_

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **BLEGH. I suck at fluffy filler crap. I'm an action man. My romance happens when people link up from deadly experiences. I cut the bullshit and go straight to the heart of the matter. Claris was overly emotional this chapter because she's still bloody confused about her feelings, but wants to understand. Honestly, someone you care about for the longest time, and suddenly your heart starts beating for someone different? That's hell. Only thing you can do is try to figure it out.

It'll take some time, but she'll get her answer.

**archsage328:** Reala's deal will be explained soon enough. A lot of 'legends' that he knows of have just started coming true, so the reality he's been living in is starting to crumble, and that's making him think. The Old Ones were beings that even Wiseman wanted nothing to do with, because they _wouldn't _be controlled. That means something that Seth and Astoria were 'commanding' them for a while. Seth being 'lost' would have been bad for EVERYONE involved. The Old Ones want their world back, no matter what it takes. As explained in this chapter, a little, Seth isn't so much a "good guy" as he simply follows what his heart tells him, and doesn't like sacrificing innocents if he can avoid it. But I'll say this: him being 'touched' by the Old Ones…

We'll see that come back, soon enough.

**D&S Master:** Phobias manifest in various ways, for various people. For me (and thus Seth) it's an unusual thing. If it's one or two, I can kinda ignore them, especially if they're tiny and just kinda there. I kill them anyway, because they're in my space, but outside of that, nothing really happens except an uncomfortable feeling. Any more than that, and I start getting nervous and shaky. They put me on edge for some reason. I can't look at even fake spiders, because it makes my head hurt, my brain imagining them coming alive and…yeah I'm starting to get creeped out just thinking about it. The biggest problem is, _I don't know where it came from._ I've always had it…but I don't know _why_. It just triggers a reaction, there's no rhyme or reason for it, there's no path, it's like a program. See Spider = goto 10, where 10 = flip.

Webs, spiders…they all make my head hurt. I start getting weak, sick feeling. The bigger the web, the more of a reaction I have, because I'm imagining a bigger spider. Even plush ones, or big fake ones for Halloween cause me to turn right around and leave the area. It starts doing things to my head…things that make me nervous. Because it's the same…pressure…I get when I'm around a barking dog. An uneasiness that starts pushing my mind to "kill or be killed" mode. It triggers my survival instincts. Since Seth's weaknesses are some of my own, he's got the same problem. Our minds start locking down, preparing for an emergency shutdown, to escape. It's one of the few active fears I have, but it's a powerful one. It's not a pleasant feeling in the slightest, it literally makes me feel like I'm about to go insane.

The bond between Astoria and Seth gets explored a bit more, this chapter, as well as within the next few ones. You should have noticed something in this chapter that suggests something beyond what's in everyone's faces though. There's a reason for that, and yes, it will be important.


	10. Beach Bums

**FSSSSSSSSH**

**CRACK-THOOM**

A sigh. "Dammit, where did this storm come from?"

The Sinclair Household. Claris had a couple of her friends from school over for a sleepover and subsequent next-day trip to the water-front for some swimming and sunbathing. However, overnight, storm clouds rolled into the city dousing her plans for the day as the teens awoke. Stuck indoors due to the raging storm, the girls were bored and depressed, longing for the sun they were expecting. Astoria was with them, having nothing to do that day, the younger Sinclair hoping to catch some rays as well.

"What are we going to do? Everything was set up for a day at the water." Catherine, a brunette with dark blue eyes sighed out. Astoria snorted, blowing at her toenails to get the paint on them to dry faster.

"Well we got our water, just not the way we wanted it."

Claris rolled her eyes at her sister's response, silently agreeing.

"We're out of popcorn too, or I'd suggest a movie." Melissa, a girl with dyed forest green hair and pale skin spoke from under a blanket.

Claris nodded. "Cable's out too. Mom's off paying the bill. She finally managed to cancel one of her old credit cards, but that was the one paying the cable company. So she had to deal with that herself."

A fourth girl sighed. "If only we could go to that beach…"

"What beach?" The brunette asked the blonde whom had just spoke.

"That one Claris told us about, the magical one." Said the blonde, dreamily.

"You're crazy Penny, it doesn't exist. Besides, even if it did, I don't feel like _dreaming _about some beach. I want to actually _be _there." Catherine retorted.

Claris just sighed, wishing she could show them the world she loved. Astoria blinked. "Wait, are you talking about Splash Garden?"

"Clair you've fed your little sister that story too?" Catherine snorted. Astoria frowned, narrowing her eyes at the older brunette. She stood up abruptly, before swiftly leaving the living room where the girls were hanging out and grabbing the cordless phone.

"Hey…who are you calling?" Penny, properly named Penelope, a girl with wide green eyes and a peach complexion asked.

Astoria remained silent, pressing a few buttons on the phone before it began to beep with the sound of a connecting attempt.

_**Doooooot.**_

_**Dooooot.**_

_**Dooo-click!**_

"_**Speak."**_

"Hey, Seth? It's me, Astoria."

Claris blinked, sitting up straighter from her position of leaning on the windowsill, watching the rain come down in torrents. _The hell did she call Seth for?_

"_**Sup Tori?"**_

"Hey, I've got a favor to ask. Could you come over here so I can ask it in person? It's…kinda big-ish."

"_**Everything alright? Wasn't Claris having some friends over today?"**_

"Yeah it kinda involves them too. Listen could you just come over? I'll owe you big for this."

On the other side, Seth gave a bemused sigh. _**"You know the creed kiddo. You have need-**_

"I'll always be there. I know. It's just a personal thing and really really dumb but I'd like it if we could pull it off."

"_**Dumb, you say? How dumb?"**_

"Dumb enough that I'm about to beg you to come over?"

"_**Alright, alright. Relax kiddo. I'll pop over in a few minutes. Let me catch a shower real fast."**_

"Mind the lightning Seth."

He laughed. _**"Don't worry, you won't be hearing about fried Negro any time soon. At least not concerning me."**_

"Good. See you in fifteen minutes then?"

"_**Pfft, what do you think I am? A woman? I'll be there in ten, if not less."**_

"Fine, I'll hold you to that. But for that woman barb if you're here even one second later there'll be a penalty."

"_**Been watching too much Haruhi, kiddo. Next you'll be groping your sister in the middle of the room complaining about the difference in chest sizes."**_

Astoria blushed heavily, but refused to bow to defeat. "Speak no words and I'll take no suggestions."

Seth laughed again, louder this time. _**"Oh that's a great line Tori, I'll have to steal that one. Lemme go, I'll get there soon."**_

"Alright. See you in a bit then."

She pushed a button, and held the phone to her chest, calming her heart. Every now and then she challenged him to a battle of wits, a test to see who could out-think the other. It was always trivial, goofy, and sometimes perverted, but it always brought a rush for her. He thought so _differently_ than most people that she considered it a victory for anyone, let alone someone her age, to match him. Her goal was always simply to make him pause, or laugh. A feat she managed more often than not.

Claris spotted the blush on her sister's cheeks, and the way she was staring off into space, clutching the phone like a lifeline. The elder Sinclair gave a soft smirk and cleared her throat. Astoria jumped, coming to her senses.

"And what was that about?"

Astoria flushed deeper before taking a breath and centering herself. "A game I play with him."

"A game you play with my boyfriend, that leaves you flushed and panting?" Claris asked sarcastically.

"Yes."

"Uh-huh." The two stared at each other, Claris' bemused stare against Astoria's defiant one.

"Besides." The younger redhead spoke up. "You've only gone on one date so far. Hardly enough time to properly call him your boyfriend now is it?"

Claris' eyes narrowed. _Well played. _"Maybe. But he's not _your _boyfriend either." Astoria nodded, expecting that venue. "Which means he's on the market. I may have left an opening for you Claris, but if you lag behind I _will _take your spot." The girl delivered her challenge.

"Are you challenging me, little sister?"

"Promising, is more like it. I'm not old enough for him, not yet. But if you mess up, I _did _see him first. And I _will _take my shot."

"_If_ I mess up." The elder clarified. Astoria nodded. "You'll get no interference whatsoever from me until that moment. But we _are _close. And we always _will _be close. That's just part of the package."

"I can deal with that, as long as I have your word of no interference."

"You have it."

"Good."

The other three girls were moving their heads back and forth, watching the not-so-tense but not-exactly-playful-either exchange. It was Melissa, the green haired girl that spoke up first. "Umm…we're missing something aren't we?"

The two girls blinked, temporarily forgetting their audience.

"Like, who is Seth?" Catherine asked, pointedly.

"Seth…is Seth Johnson." Claris said, slowly.

The three girl's eyes widened. "Isn't he the guy who ki-

"Finish that sentence and I'll have your head shoved so far up your ass you'll have shit coming out of your ears for decades!" Astoria snarled at Melissa, who stared wide-eyed at the suddenly _very _angry looking little girl, and leaned away slowly.

"S-sorry!" she squeaked out. The other two guests also stared at the girl in shock.

"Story!"

"I won't have it!" The girl retorted at her sister.

"She didn't mean it. The rumors-

"Are completely false and anyone who believes them deserves to have their eyes carved out with a rusty soup spoon!" the red-head shot back.

"W-wait, we're talking about the same Seth Johnson right? The one that goes to our school?" Catherine asked hesitantly, hoping to derail the violent thoughts hidden within the child. Claris sighed and nodded.

"I've…never really talked to him before."

"He saved _my _life." Astoria spat at the brunette. Catherine's eyes widened.

"From when you were kidnapped?" Astoria nodded sharply. "That was _him?_" Catherine asked incredulously. Astoria nodded a second time. Catherine dropped to the floor, in shock.

"I…I saw the pictures in the newspaper. You standing behind him, naked. Him standing in front of you…the quote even said something about him not letting you go until the police proved they were 'real'. I even saw the pictures of his back on the internet…it looked like he was attacked by a wild animal!"

"He got me out of there. He almost died to get me out of there."

Melissa teared up. "Astoria I'm _so _sorry! I didn't know he was your personal hero!"

Astoria sighed softly, beginning to relax. "I don't…he told me about what everyone says to him, about how they all treat him. He saved my life, and he didn't have to. I…I can't stand it when people say those things about him. None of it is true, none of it he deserves but he gets it anyway."

"He _is _cute." Penelope suddenly said. Everyone looked at her. She blinked at them, not phased in the slightest.

"What? He is."

"Penny…you-

**BING-BONG**

"Oh! That's him!" Astoria started. She rushed through the hallways to the front door.

The girls all shared looks. How the hell did he get here so fast? Astoria gave a start. "You're late! Ack! You're drenched!"

They heard a soft voice float in from the hall.

"Yeah…apparently the latch to your backyard's gate decided now would be the perfect time to be a dick and not open properly."

The voice got closer as Astoria dashed past to the lower bathroom and grabbed a towel, before dashing back to the hall, where Seth was, unseen by the others, taking his shoes off.

"Why didn't you pop into one of our rooms?" She asked, confusing the other girls.

"Yeah and risk telefragging myself on someone's dresser? I've been in your room once and Claris' never."

The three guests blinked.

"You've got good memory though. And your entrances have been much less destructive lately." They heard her say, the voices getting closer.

"Well there's that and also I'd run the risk of running into either of you in the buff." They were just in the hallway outside the living room now.

"Well…you've already seen _me _naked." Astoria spoke casually.

"That doesn't count, I was barely looking, you're thirteen-

"Fourteen in two weeks." She corrected.

"**Thirteen**, and tied up while I was saving your life." Just about to enter the living room. "And while I'd _like_ to see Claris nake-oh piddleshits there's more than the two of you." He broke off upon seeing the three extra girls. Claris was flushing heavily. Embarrassment or Anger, Seth didn't know. The other three were staring at him like hawks.

"Uhh…hi." He said, completely surprised.

"Hi!" The blonde girl chirped out. "See? He doesn't look like a murderer!" She blurted out pleasantly.

Astoria stared, Claris slapped her forehead with the palm of her hand, and the other two just blinked at her.

"Uhh…was…I sup…posed…to?" Seth asked, uncertain.

Claris just flushed deeper, kneeling down and banging her head on the windowsill.

* * *

><p>"You were right Tori. It <strong>is <strong>a dumb idea."

The younger Sinclair informed Seth to what the big deal was. She told him how they were planning on going to the beach today, but the sudden storm messed everything up. And then Penny mentioned Splash Garden. _"I thought, maybe you could take us there."_

"Wait, that's _impossible_." Catherine pointed out. "First off, even if it was real it's in a world of Dreams. _Dreams_. Meaning we have to be _asleep _to get there!"

Seth just stared at the brunette. "How much does she know?" He said, locking eyes with her. It was in that second that Catherine saw a hint of the young man who put balls to the wall to save Astoria's life.

"Everything up to the fight with Wiseman. I told her years ago, blurted it out not long after my father died. Only Penny seems to really believe me so it hasn't really mattered much." Claris said.

"…you're asking me to reveal one of my (admittedly few) secrets for the sake of a trip to the beach." He stated blandly, staring at Claris. She nodded softly. "I-it wouldn't be anything major! Just…for a few hours and then we come back. Please Seth we were really looking forward to this."

"I'm not good with big groups." He said.

"You took both sets of us just fine last week!" She countered.

"The trick I pulled _in there_ was primarily based around Astoria's pure need. And it burned my hand. _AND _probably was what led Reala to us. Taking both sets _back _was even worse. It wiped me out completely. I had to crash at _Helen's _place for the night because I could barely think, let alone tear two _more _holes in reality." Claris' eyes widened, not knowing that part.

"Is that why you looked so tired?" Astoria asked, concerned. Seth nodded. "But I made a promise." The girl frowned.

"If you were that exhausted you should have told me! I would have-

"You needed me there. That outweighs any need of my own." Astoria wanted to argue, but the second Synchronization between them gave her much deeper insight to how he thought. His self-esteem was in the low negatives. He had confidence in what he knew he could do, but otherwise, didn't think any of it was worth anything in the end. Worse, his inability to fly was constantly on his mind, thinking himself just a burden. She just sighed heavily and threw her arms around his neck.

"One day, I'm going to pay you back for being such a pain in the ass." She mumbled into his shoulder. Seth put his arms around the girl just wearing a green button-up pajama shirt. He took a deep breath, inhaling her scent before replying. "Better get a bigger checkbook then." Her own shoulders twitched as she giggled softly into his neck. Claris shook her head and put her hands on his shoulders from behind the couch, leaning forward. Reflexively, Seth looked up, noting the view.

"Uhh…hi."

Wearing only pajama bottoms and a blue tank-top, Claris smiled slightly. "Please Seth. It's just for a few hours. Just do us this one favor?"

Seth blinked rapidly. "Your tactic of bringing your boobs into the negotiation is a shrewd one." He spoke casually. Claris' cheeks flushed deeper as Astoria giggled once again. "Is it working?" She quipped, going with the flow.

"I can neither confirm nor deny that question." He spoke, eyes never leaving hers, though still well aware of what was behind him.

"Well I can!" Astoria barked into his shoulder. Claris giggled when she saw the mild panic enter his eyes.

There was a flump next to them, and all three turned to see Penelope, shirt partially unbuttoned leaning towards the two. "I've always wanted to go there y'know. I heard it's really pretty. If you can take us that would be reaaaaaaally cool." She smirked as his eyes reflexively flickered to her chest before bouncing back to her face. "Foul." He said. The smirk grew.

Another flump caught his attention.

"Ok you're not even _wearing _clothes, that's like bringing a rocket launcher to a sword fight. That's Mir Teiwaz levels of Overkill there." She didn't sleep in the nude often, but on hot, humid nights, even with the air conditioner on, Melissa preferred wearing as little as possible. So when she plopped down, blanket left behind, wearing just a bra and panties, Seth immediately called out the action.

Catherine sighed. "Y'know, you all have taken up points around him. How am _I _supposed to do anything to help?"

"I thought you didn't believe in that place." Melissa quipped.

"Whether I do or not is irrelevant. You all do, and you all believe he can get us there. _I _want some damn sun. So if he can do it, I want to do something to help him get that push."

The girls all shrugged. "Do you really _have _to?" Seth half-whined. Claris, alright. Astoria? Pushing it, considering her age. Two other girls he didn't even know? That's…yeah. Make that three? He was really beginning to wonder if for the first time, _he _was dreaming. Especially since Claris was…not acting like he thought a girl would act in this situation. His musing over the events led him to miss how Catherine just shook her head, grabbing the base of her t-shirt before swiftly pulling it over. Everyone stared at the girl as her breasts bounced twice, freed from their constraints. She casually tossed the shirt aside, placing her hands on her hips.

"There. Happy?" She asked, part irritated, mostly just wanting to get on with the original plans for the day.

Seth just stared, blinking rapidly. The surprise caused him to lose the subconscious focus he'd been holding, keeping his ability to see Ideya at bay. The girls all erupted into various levels of the Ideya colors, making his eyes wince at the brightness, before he started pushing it back. Slowly, the colors faded again, but he'd taken note of which ones the three girls seemed to favor. _All of them are sporting faint yellow. The green haired one has a lot of blue, and some white. The blonde one has a crapton of green and yellow, and a fair bit of red. And the black haired one has a good bit of black, surprisingly enough…_

"Well."

A voice from the doorway spoke, causing everyone to snap in that direction. Standing there, leaning casually against the frame was Claris' mother. The girls all paled and Seth just stared, brain racing trying to predict exactly what was going to come, hundreds of scenarios appearing and being discarded in moments.

"Not…what I expected to come home to. But really, if you're going to have an orgy, make sure you use protection." She smirked out.

Honestly, the woman had just gotten back from paying off a bill that should have been paid already, but wasn't, due to an oversight on her part. Stepping into the living room to see her youngest daughter's savior, and her eldest daughter's prospective boyfriend being besieged from all sides by girls in various states of undress, and one who was completely topless, was a large surprise for her. Then again, when she quickly considered the things _she _was doing at that age (though Astoria's presence was a bit of a sore mark for her), it wasn't much of a surprise.

"M-mom! I-it's not what it looks like!"

"I'd say it's exactly what it looks like." Astoria countered, bouncing on Seth's lap once, causing the boy to groan. He gave her a look that screamed "WHY WOULD YOU DO SUCH A THING?"

"I'd have to agree with your sister there." Katrina responded, noting Seth's wince and his pointed stare at her youngest. _Oh god did she seriously just do that?_ She internally laughed. Astoria apparently knew _exactly _how to torture a man. _Here's a question though…how did she __**know**__ to do that?_

"Why aren't you putting a shirt on?" Seth asked the topless Catherine. She shrugged, crossing her arms in boredom. "Went tanning in Europe with my mother last year. Once you've been on a beach where every other woman there is completely bare-chested you kinda stop caring who sees your boobs. No pont in worrying who's looking at your chest. After a while they all pretty much look the same I guess."

"Balls of iron. Why do you know so many people with balls of iron Claris?" Seth leaned his head back, asking the still leaning pink-haired girl.

Claris just stuttered. "Because she's secretly a man?" Penelope quipped, trying to stave off her nervousness with a joke. Either Seth picked up on it, or he just responded. "Hottest man I've ever seen then."

"Wh-bu-HEY! I am NOT a man!" Claris bit out.

"As amusing as it would be to see where this goes, I'd like to know exactly what's going on here, so I know whether or not I need to make a run to the pharmacy." Katrina spoke.

"MOM! You can't be serious!"

"Oh I'm totally serious. I've done far worse things at your age before I had you, so really, I just want to make sure you're all safe about it." She responded casually, inspecting her nails absently.

"I-You-

"Why is everyone in your family made of awesome?" Seth absently mused. He missed Katrina's smirk. "Oh I'm pretty sure I could fill your dreams with the stories of my days."

"Dammit mom stop trying to seduce my boyfriend!" Claris blurted out.

"I'm not trying to seduce him."

"I'm your boyfriend?" Both parties spoke at once. Immediately the joking stopped, everyone staring at Seth and Claris. The girl's cheeks flared pink again.

"I…well…if…you wanted…to be?"

"I thought it took more than one date." He was honestly confused.

"Sometimes." Katrina supplied. "Actually that's the normal. But…your relationship isn't exactly _normal _now is it?"

"I…" Claris began. "I…liked what I felt…on our date. Like I said, I want to get to know you better…to know the _you _behind the man who saved my sister. And…well…I guess I kinda jumped the gun a bit…"

"A little." He smiled at her. "Some forewarning would have been nice, cause I've been under the impression we still had a while to go till that point."

"I'm sorry."

"Hey, don't worry about it. I never said anything against it did I?"

"So…you don't mind-

"I accept."

She smiled widely and threw her arms around him. The other girls gave squealing noises. Ones that made his head ring. "aaaaa loud."

"Sorry!" they chorused out as one.

"Well, that's dealt with. Now, explanation please?" Katrina pushed, smiling for her daughter.

* * *

><p>Surprisingly enough, Katrina supported the idea, and even expressed desire to come along.<p>

"I just got back from being out there in the horrid weather. I could use some sun to cheer me up." With that statement (and Catherine's persisting toplessness, something Seth tried his hardest to ignore) Seth caved in. The girls all gave a cheer and went up to grab their bathing suits and effects while he leaned on the couch, mentally preparing for the drain of transporting more than himself through the barriers between realms. While waiting, he contemplated his current situation.

_It's only been one date, but Claris and I are now officially together. Wonder if that'll stave some of the assholes…ehh I doubt it. Still…I don't completely like this idea. It'll be nice just being there to have fun, for once, rather than be on a mission, but we still don't know if we can be tracked down or not. Clawz somehow pulled me into his realm, and Gillwing found us. Maybe we'll get lucky and…oh what am I talking about, my luck is shit._

…_then again, I __**did **__just get a free show. All three of Claris' friends are pretty good looking, and outside of anyone on that beach, I get to say I'm the first one to see them in various states of undress. Well…except for the brunette. Topless tanning in Europe? A pervert's dream. Ugh did Tori, __**have **__to do that though? That wasn't very fair…or pleasant. Hmm…I wonder if she got some of my personality…I noticed it's easier to just kinda brush some things off. I guess I'll have to thank her for that then. I really hope that-_

"You alright?" An unfamiliar voice echoed in his mind. His eyes snapped open to see Penelope wearing a yellow and black striped bikini top, lower half covered in a semi-transparent cloth skirt.

"Uhh, yeah. I'm fine." Was his response. She gave him a soft smile, plopping down next to him.

"Sorry for pushing you into this. I just know I've always wanted to see the world Claris told us about, and we _did _plan on going to the beach today…"

"There's…dangers." Seth stated pointedly. He heard but ignored the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs, noting the density of them suggested the other girls were coming as well.

"As beautiful as it is, there _are _things that can be a threat to us. The question is merely how long our luck will hold out."

Penelope tilted her head.

"Dangers like what?"

"Wiseman's back. That thing, that Claris and Elliot beat. He's pretty damn near Eternal apparently so he'll just keep reviving. We've been attacked three times already. And the guy that had been kidnapping all those kids? One of his minions."

Penelope gasped, as the others stood there. Melissa and Catherine were concerned.

"But how-

"The same way I can cross over. This city is really closely connected to that world because of Claris and Elliot's battle. Reala, that's the guy, was able to pull children physically into the dream somehow…we're still not completely clear how. But, he pulled Astoria over, and was about to drain her of her Ideya, her dream energy. Only unlike most cases apparently, he was going to drain her completely all in one night, because she was physically there." Seth explained to the shocked blonde. And then Astoria ran over and jumped onto his lap sporting a bright blue one-piece swimsuit with a violet flower on the right side.

"And then you came and saved me."

"How?" Catherine asked. She still didn't believe it, but everyone else seemed convinced.

"The same way I'm taking you there today. I, for some reason, have the ability to cross between worlds. It…triggered? Bloomed? I dunno, but I first did it that day of the crash. I heard a voice, and next thing I knew, I was on a plateau in the middle of a mountain range. Looked like something out of the Swiss Alps or whatever. But since then I've been able to go back and forth, not that I really did it much until I saw Astoria crossing over."

"If it's that dangerous…" Melissa began. Seth sighed.

"Listen…I worry. It's what I'm good at. I worry and plan. I'm only repeating myself about the dangers because I want it in your heads that while we're there for fun, there is a _chance _something might go wrong. If something does, you're going to have to listen to what I, Claris, or Astoria say, without question. That goes for you too Ms. Sinclair." He spoke up, eyes detecting a faint glow coming from the doorway. Claris' mother was hiding, listening in for more information.

She smiled to herself and gently strode forward. "After seeing you and Astoria take down that giant spider monster, you tell me to jump and I'll do it."

Seth tilted his head, noting exactly what she was wearing. A two-piece bikini swimsuit that left very little to the imagination. Katrina Sinclair had a quite voluptuous figure, perfect curves in all the right places. A lightly tanned complexion, perfect shape in every way. Seth got to see first-hand where Claris and Astoria got their looks from.

"Tia's bloody _fangs_." Seth muttered. "No _wonder _she looks so damn good…" He continued, briefly forgetting where he was. Claris flushed while Katrina chuckled. "Glad I still have it then."

"Ok see no. I'm _not _going to ask you to jump because then I'll be afraid I'll never tell you to _stop_. _Jeezus _that _has _to be illegal somewhere." Seth barely managed to take his eyes off the woman's body, shaking his head and closing them.

"Dammit mom!"

He reflexively opened them again, finally taking in the views of all the girls. "I've bloody died and gone to heaven. That's it, I _must _be dreaming." Claris sighed in exasperation. She'd just confirmed the teen as her boyfriend and her mother has to go and do this. Clearly Katrina was enjoying the attention, her own personal self-worth level dropping with the death of her husband. Seth was holding on quite nicely though. Before, whenever they went to the beach, she was able to make practically every teenage boy reduce themselves to a stammering mess. She watched with interest as he shook his head, placing a hand on his forehead, bowing it.

_Shinzaki unit kaihou. Class D overload. I can't think like this…too much going on at once. I have to push it away, I have to focus…_

_**Dople.**_

Katrina could _feel _it. There was usually a certain primal sensation that came from being lusted after, and while they'd never be able to place it, it was well known that most women had a sixth sense for it. The more beautiful you were, the more often it happened, though there were cases where the opposite was true. But regardless, most cases were that if you were a woman, someone wanted to bed you just because you had a vagina, or breasts. Katrina was one of those girls who as a teen was very much sought after. Because of this, her sense of being able to tell when someone was lusting after her was heightened. With her husband, it was always a turn-on to know he still wanted her even after she had two children.

With younger men, it was a game. A game she was good at.

A game she just _lost._

…_it's gone. Holy shit it's gone. What…the __**hell **__did he just do?_

The sensation of subconscious desire, the primal feeling of sexual need that she had felt from Seth. A sensation that arose within every human being, every living thing that needed to reproduce. It vanished. Completely.

She stared in shock as he slowly lifted his head, opening his eyes. There was a hardness to his gaze that made her take a step back in surprise. A blank, empty stare, like a veil had just been thrown over him.

_How…the hell…_

"Right." He said, pointedly. The girls were in shock. He'd just shifted from kinda horny looking to completely…blank. Like a robot. As if he'd just shut down his entire brain. "Does everyone have what they need to bring?"

His voice made them _all _shudder. All of them except Astoria. She just smiled brightly. His voice held a tone that _screamed _command. A tone of which when a request was made of you, you felt like dropping everything you were doing and fulfilling it immediately. A level of strength, of focus beyond their comprehension. They'd _never _heard something like that before.

Except Astoria. She remembered that tone. It was the same tone he took against Reala, against the Police, against even Nights. It was the voice of a warrior, of a _leader_. The sound of a man who was ready to go into battle and die protecting that which he loved. A voice filled with focus, and drive, one that inspired you to follow.

Katrina recognized the tone as well. It was the same tone she'd hear from her husband that made her knees weak. The sound of someone who _knew_. Someone who had a goal, a focus, and nothing was going to deter them from it. It surprised her to hear it from one so young, but when she thought of his past, it all made sense.

Melissa, Penelope and Catherine had to fight to stay on their feet. They felt their hearts swoon when he spoke, something tickling the backs of their minds with each word. Unknown to them, they'd just been exposed for the first time to the effects of someone who was completely focused. They would come to know that feeling quite well, by the end of summer vacation.

And Claris?

_I suddenly __**really **__wish I was the only one in this room with him right now._ Her feelings for him spiked in a way that not even Elliot could produce. And he got her _really _riled up some days. But he never had _that _type of tone, though it was close. But unlike her friends, who were too overwhelmed to figure out where it came from, Claris wanted to know _why_.

_I've heard that tone before…when he was staring down those cops, and Nights. He's focused…driven…but…why? Oh! Maybe it's because he's still not used to taking groups, so he's channeling everything he has into not messing up. That would make sense…he's worried about the dangers…I hope he relaxes once we're there. I won't be able to have as much fun if he doesn't…_

"I think so." Astoria finally answered, giving everyone a few moments to feel the full impact of his _true _strength. The second synchronization event allowed her far deeper insight to him. She knew what he was truly capable of, even if he didn't. She knew what he just did. He had a method of forcibly shutting down certain mental responses. It didn't always work, and sometimes even when it did, something could cause them to burst right back open.

_He's looking straight at mom without any reaction. I'd say that was a class D lockdown._ Class D, the lowest of his partially named barriers, was activated to temporarily shut down hormonal responses. It was crafted very recently, and Astoria gave herself a soft smirk when she recalled that _she _was part of the reason for it. She would admit she'd been a bit…touchy, with him. It helped that their first meeting ended in a melding of the minds combined with heavy physical contact, so for her, it always felt _good _to be touched by him, even just holding his hand. The defense was forged because of her advances, and his reaction to them.

While still close in age, she _was _thirteen, and half the time people looked at such relationships oddly. And while she wasn't amazingly big in the chest, for her age group she was better 'equipped' than most of her peers. So taking into account how often she tightly hugged him or held his arm to her chest and whatnot, such barriers falling into place weren't too unexpected.

"Sure?" The tone was fading, returning more to his normal, but with that hint of focus. Astoria mused that perhaps it only appeared when he was _truly _focused, and it showed up then because the walls were so freshly put up.

Nods all around.

"Alright then…lets go."

* * *

><p><strong>FSHHHHHHHHHHH<strong>

"Waaaaooooww!"

Sun shining bright. Clear skies, soft fluffy clouds coasting the air. Torrents of glistening waters rocketing towards the heavens.

**Splash Garden.**

Fields of greens and yellows, golden sand mixed with pristine grass, cobblestone pathways lined with hundreds of flowers. Splash Garden was truly a thing of beauty.

"Whoa! What the hell is that?" Penny pointed excitedly at one of the many floating spheres of blue, surrounding the world, scattered about like seeds.

"Dunno what they're called. But they're literally giant floating bubbles of water. Elliot told me about them. When he was dreaming, he got repulsed by them, so I dunno if-

Claris was cut off by Astoria taking a running start and jumping straight at the closest one. Crossing her arms in front of her face, the red-haired girl slammed into the sphere, bubbles of air swirling around her as she entered. She opened her eyes, seeing everything tinted an odd blue, through her goggles. She smiled brightly, before diving down and sticking her head out of the sphere.

"Astoria!"

"Sorry! I just had to see for myself!"

The other three were gaping. "H-how did you do that?" Melissa asked, shocked.

"The spheres seem to have their own gravity!"

"No! Not that, the _jump!_ How did you jump so high?"

Astoria gave a shrug. "I dunno, I just wanted to I guess. This isn't Earth y'know, we can do a lot of things here we couldn't back home."

"But-but…physics! And gravity! You just….broke all of them!" Melissa pushed.

"Not really." Astoria said casually. "Rules like that only exist here because we think they should, or rather, because we're used to them. Technically, the Dreamer shapes the Realm, so we can do whatever we want, but we have to really believe we can." Bored of floating like a vampire, Astoria ducked her head back in before _pushing_ herself out of the sphere, where she did a small flip in the air before landing on the ground. She shook her head, shaking some of the water out of her hair, before deftly stepping back towards the group.

Penelope had an odd look on her face. She was looking back and forth between Astoria and the bubble. She gently removed her straw sun-hat, and closed her eyes. Dropping it on Melissa's head, to which the girl ripped the hat off her face and glared, only to see Penelope running forward. Astoria gave a soft smirk before stepping aside, letting the blonde race by, where she hopped once, and seemed to _rocket _off the ground into the bubble. For a moment, it looked like she was going to cut straight through, but as she too hit the watery orb, she slowed, kicking her way up to the top.

"HOW DID YOU DO THAT?" Melissa yelled out.

"It's easy! It's like the Matrix!"

Suddenly, unseen, Seth's eyes widened.

_The…Matrix?_

"You just have to free your mind! Believe you can, and you can!"

"_You have to let it all go Neo. Fear. Doubt. Disbelief. Free. Your. Mind."_

"That doesn't make sense though!"

"Of course it does!" Penelope shot back. "But you can't think it. You have to _believe _it! It has to be your reality! You have to _know _it's possible!"

"_You're faster than this. Don't think you are. __**Know**__ you are."_

"_**Be you are. You are…what you is…"**_

_Is…that the key? Is it that simple?_

"_How did I beat you?"_

"_You're…you're too fast."_

"_Do you think that my being faster, or stronger, has anything to do with my muscles, in this place?"_

"…"

"_Do you really think that's __**air **__you're breathing now?"_

"_**Oh so he thinks he's breathing air does he? Little baby air-breather."**_

…_maybe I __**have **__been thinking about this too hard…an artificial world created from our minds…where we are bound only by the rules we believe in. But…it's difficult…letting go of the self…_

_I'm gonna need to practice more…later._

* * *

><p>After a little exploring, the group settled, breaking out a few beach chairs and towels, with an umbrella for shade. Melissa, Claris and Penelope had taken to the ocean, swimming around and splashing each other. Astoria was a little away from the waves, trying, and failing, to make a stable sand castle. Catherine and Katrina were laying on their towels, soaking up the sun's rays. Catherine was reading a book she brought with her, while Katrina was simply relaxing. A shadow fell over both of them, and they looked up to see Seth, walking past, towel around his neck.<p>

"Heyy, where'd you get off to?" Katrina asked, lowering her floral pink sunglasses.

"Training. Bouncing from sphere to sphere, trying to get used to the physics here."

Katrina gave a sour frown. "Bah, that's no fun. Here!" She reached next to her and threw a green plastic bottle at him. Instinctively, his hand swung in front of his face, conscious mind changing the reaction of _deflect_ into _catch_. She flashed him a thumbs-up and rolled over.

"Rub that on my back?" She said, reaching behind her and pulling the string on her bikini top.

Seth stared at her, blinking. _…she's gonna be as impossible to ignore as Astoria is isn't she? Is it even worth trying to fight?_

He gave a defeated sigh, before spurting the grayish liquid on the palm of his hand, slapping them together before beginning to apply them to the elder Sinclair woman. She shivered slightly at the slight cold, for the bottle was underneath the umbrella, next to Penny's hat. In two seconds the shivers came for a different reason. Unconsciously she let loose a soft but defined moan, as his hands gently but firmly squeezed her shoulder-blades. Catherine raised an eyebrow at the woman's antics, catching on to her intentions but keeping her mouth shut on the subject.

"So, what do you think of this place, Seth?" The black haired girl asked the shifter.

"Nightopia as a whole? Or Splash Garden?" Was the response, the boy ignoring the second moan that came from the woman beginning to writhe beneath his fingers as he slowly worked her spine.

"Both."

"Splash Garden is nice…the ultimate water park. Plenty of hills too. Pity it's a dream realm or else there'd probably be food places around. We'll have to head back when we all get hungry. Nightopia…"

He stopped for a moment, trying to figure what he truly felt about the place. Katrina gave a frown, grunting in annoyance that he stopped, wiggling beneath him. Absently, Seth smacked her rear, temporarily and unconsciously allowing some of Astoria's personality slip through the cracks in his mind, created from their double resonance. The reaction caused her to gasp in surprise at the stinging feeling, before he unconsciously continued with one hand, other one grabbing the bottle and squeezing a little bit out again. Neither of them saw the flush of Katrina's cheeks, her mind going back to the days on the beach with her husband.

"Nightopia as a whole…is a very strange place. The world here works differently than the one we know, as Penelope and Astoria proved. It's…it has its dark sides, just like anywhere else, but generally, it's a beautiful place. If it weren't for Wiseman and his stupid Nightmaren, it'd be much more peaceful. I heard…that before Wiseman, the Nightmare was merely an inverted version of these realms. Dark, gloomy, but still with its own type of beauty. And when he came, even the Nightmare was corrupted."

"I'm still in shock this place actually exists. I…didn't think Claris was crazy but…"

"Even I would be hard-pressed to believe about this place. And that's saying something. But there's no doubt, it's real."

"I know…it's incredible here the perfect getaway."

Again, he missed the growing moans of Katrina, as he slowly began kneading her thigh and calf muscles. The woman was in heaven, the younger boy unintentionally and unexpectedly deft with his hands.

"It takes a very special type of person to become 'aware' of this place while we're naturally asleep. Usually all this world is, is a stage for our dreams. Our minds make the plot and characters, and the world supplies the mechanics and areas."

"What's needed for it?" She asked.

"I dunno…I never make it here. I either dream, or I get stuck in a grey void. Even after I came here, physically, I've never made it here in my dreams. Always that grey void, if I ever 'wake'." He said. Suddenly, Catherine gave an odd smile. Seth blinked, and as he was about to ask what was up, the sound of a clearing throat caused him to turn.

Claris was between them, just a couple steps away, hands on her hips, glaring down at Seth, or rather, her mother. Astoria was giggling away, hand covering her mouth to stifle the noise, as Penny just looked on, impressed.

"And what exactly is going on here?"

Katrina gave a groan of displeasure. "Dammit honey, go back to the water, I was _enjoying _that!" Seth blinked, confused, until he noted his hands were holding onto one of Katrina's feet. _Whoops…_

"Obviously! I could practically hear you over the waves!" Claris snapped back.

"Well that just means he was doing a good job, doesn't it?"

Claris gave an exasperated huff. "Anything to say for yourself?" She directed towards Seth, annoyed, but not exactly angry with him.

"She started it?" Astoria burst out laughing, as Claris rolled her eyes.

"Anything _besides _that?"

"Sunscreen?"

Claris sighed. "Fine. I'll accept that answer. But!" She reached down and pulled Seth up. "You, mister, are coming with me."

"Try not to get too loud there honey! You've got my genes, and I'm a screamer!"

Claris seized up, cheeks flaring pink.

_Damn. Alright that was well played. _Seth thought to himself. Claris just thrust out her hand, gave her mother the finger, and pulled Seth away, while Katrina laughed to herself, pleased that she once again succeeded in making Claris feel embarrassed.

As the others pulled Seth to the waters, Catherine looked over at Katrina, who had turned her head on its other side, triumphant smirk still on her face.

"Must you always do that?"

"Yep! Gotta stay young somehow! And nothing's more fun than teasing her about her sex life." Katrina stated proudly.

Catherine just sighed and shook her head, turning the page of her book, adjusting her sunglasses.

"Adults are strange."

* * *

><p>Astoria's heart pounded in her chest. She buckled over, body wracked with spasms. It wasn't <em>painful<em> more like a familiar discomfort, a strange, pushing sensation. Her eyes widened. She realized what was happening.

As they were preparing to leave, Claris just finishing up a few laps further in, Astoria gently landing next to Seth from having flown over to Claris, informing her that they were preparing to leave; whom had helped Katrina finish folding up the beach chairs, they all heard Claris scream. The girl was frantically swimming towards the beach, as a big blue fin suddenly rose from the waves. Seth's eyes widened, before hauling ass, demanding Astoria to remain behind.

A **Nightmaren** had appeared.

Seth amazed them all as he _ran _along the surface of the waves.

"Jesus Christ!" Melissa called out, in shock.

"No I think his name is Seth." Penelope quipped.

Claris had disappeared beneath the waves, Seth diving down where he last saw her, goggles borrowed from Astoria over his eyes. His arms and legs pumped as he literally _saw _the air being sucked towards one point, a giant piranha-like fish, gaping maw open wide, pulling a struggling Claris deeper into the ocean.

As Astoria came to terms with the events occurring beneath the surface, Seth reached for Claris, their hands clasping together, the girl caught in Gulpo's whirlpool grip. Seth pulled her close to him, Ideya flaring around them, slowly becoming one set. Claris' own Desire, freshly born of her _wish _to understand him, resonating along with his, the two black spheres merging together, the girl grasping onto the concept of unison, wanting nothing more than to understand him, to be free with him.

But Seth had other plans.

Unknowing of the girl's wishes, only focused on his desire to set her free from Gulpo's grip, he focused every thought and essence of will into one wish. As the two were pulled deeper into the spiraling bubbly depths, leading to Gulpo's gaping maw, Seth swung the arm holding onto Claris' out, with as much force as he could muster under the waves. Claris' eyes widened, the girl feeling his emotions, sensing his desire forming. She saw the determination on his face, as he swung her around before yanking her close again.

And then he punched her.

Every modicum of air she'd been holding onto was immediately expelled, as a glowing red and black entwined fist was slammed into her gut with immense force. Her body crunched inward, arms and legs flailing forward of their own accord, as Seth threw his entire _being _into the swing. Eyes bugging out, Claris felt her body cutting through the water at immense speed, back breaking the surface, everyone gasping in shock as she shot out of the water like a torpedo.

Shock was in every single fiber of her being. He _punched _her! Somehow throwing her with all of his might, out of the dark depths of the oceans surrounding Splash Garden. And she was still _going!_ They _had _linked, for a moment, before he launched her from beneath the waves. In that moment, she'd learned so much about him. She winced in pain as her body literally skipped on the surface of the water, flipping around before she slid, back first, into the warm sands of the beach. She rolled uncontrollably for a few moments, sand getting all over her skin and in her hair, some even in her mouth. She came to a stop not far from where the others were, the group racing towards where she skidded to a halt, groaning. Angry red patches were on her back from sliding along the coarse grains, bikini top barely hanging on by a thread, the strings tying it together in the back having frayed from the sheer force she scraped the sands with.

* * *

><p>Beneath the waves, Seth began to relax, even though he could still feel himself falling deeper into the ocean. Claris was safe now. He concluded that he needed to get her out first, before enacting the second stage of his plan.<p>

_I've never teleported while inside water before. I don't know if it changes anything, or if it messes things up. I'm fine hurting myself in my experiments, but I refuse to have others get hurt by them, if I can avoid it. Gulpo's a fish, he's stuck in the water with me. I'll just port out and-_

But his thoughts were cut off as he realized something.

…_wait a minute. I'm falling __**naturally**__._

His eyes snapped open, goggles allowing him to see the massive shape wiggling its way towards the surface, following the fading trail of bubbles left in Claris' wake. Eyes wide, he gasped…

And then began to choke.

Over a week ago, he'd mused on the possibility of trying to tell his subconscious that due to the nature of Nightopia, anywhere could be considered breathable, even underwater. However, as the day passed, he unknowingly allowed one uncertainty to take hold.

Sea water, in his mind, held far more minerals and particles than just oxygen and hydrogen. Ground up rocks, silt, mud, sand, fish droppings…and so on. It was technically, filthy. Sea water had far more things in it than drinking water, which is what the basis of his idea to breathe was. And unfortunately, it was the basis in which he was able to first learn how to 'water-walk'. Utilizing the knowledge of what lays within the depths of the sea, what goes unseen by the naked eye, he could imagine and 'construct' platforms for his feet to 'stand' upon.

And yet, it would be that notion, that proved to be his undoing. His mind still working on 'Earth' terms, his Ideya couldn't warp the world around him, filtering out everything that wasn't oxygen, thus he could not breathe.

He was drowning.

Furthermore, as a larger consequence of his lack of knowledge, because he didn't know what would happen if he shifted while under water, he required far more focus than he normally would at this point, to traverse the lands of Nightopia. And since his entire focus was now on the fact that he was 'breathing' more water, filling his lungs, and suffocating his brain with lack of oxygen, he couldn't focus, thus his ability to 'move' was silenced.

_That…that thing…is going after Claris. It's going to get her, it's going to kill her! It's going to kill them all!_

_And…I can't do anything about it. I can't even save myself!_

Everything was growing dark. His body weakened, struggles slowing. Even if he'd managed to make it to the surface now, with his eyes clouding over, his thoughts turning sluggish, lungs filled with water…he'd be able to do nothing.

_I'm sorry…_

His last thoughts were filled with regrets, before oblivion took him, body falling limp, sinking down to the bottom of the sea…

* * *

><p>A massive splash pulled their attention away from Claris, who was rising. A fin broke the surface of the water, giving way to a giant blue piranha-like fish. Eyes widened all around.<p>

"What is that thing?"

"Where's Seth?"

Catherine was more focused on Gulpo, while Astoria was grilling her spitting and coughing sister. Claris shook her head, the motion causing the back of her top to finally snap.

"He…_punched _me!" she coughed out, arms wobbling, brain trying to kick-start her muscles, telling them to get their asses in gear and work.

"Right out of the water! Just…pulled me close and _**punched **_me!"

"How? He's not _that _strong!" Astoria exclaimed.

"We…we _resonated_! I could feel what he felt! He…he had a plan but…but why…?"

Suddenly an empty pit opened up in both of their hearts. Astoria's eyes widened. A part of her that felt full, ever since the second merger, suddenly vanished, an empty void replacing it.

"No…" she breathed out, eyes wide, staring at Gulpo's increasingly growing form.

A tear slid down Claris' face, her own heart echoing the same. "He…he didn't get out…?"

The others stared at the two in shock.

"…you're…kidding right?" Katrina started, unable to comprehend. "Claris? Story? You're _joking _right? He's gonna show up and you're gonna grill that giant fish…_**right?**_"

Astoria just dropped to her knees eyes wide, yet unseeing. Claris just choked out a sob.

"It's getting closer!" Melissa screamed out.

"Claris!"

The girl just shook her head. A shadow appeared over them. They all looked up.

Gulpo had left the water, and was now only a few feet away. Its body began to crackle with pale violet light, sparks streaming from its gills.

Everything went silent for them. Not one heard Melissa's screams, or Katherine's cursing. All they could hear was the rushing sound of Death coming towards them. Their eyes closed on reflex, trying to shield themselves from the coming end.

* * *

><p><strong>RREEEEEEEAAAAAAAGGGHHHHHH!<strong>

An echoing roar ripped through the minds of Claris and Astoria. A wave of **Black **covered their vision, as for a brief moment, their sight was covered not in the visage of Gulpo about to fry them all, but a strange, pulsing symbol in the shape of a capital N with a line vertically through the center, surrounded by odd markings.

* * *

><p>Suddenly, Gulpo froze in place. They all opened their eyes, and gasped as one, at the sight before them.<p>

A massive claw, made of almost _solid _looking crystal blue water, was wrapped around Gulpo's rear fin. The giant fish's eyes rolled back, staring in shock at the appendage gripping it. Their eyes followed the trail, the insanely _long _arm reaching from Gulpo to the depths of the ocean, where a single figure could barely be seen, growing larger and larger. Slowly, a similar blue fin emerged from the waves, followed by a head, and a body resembling that of a strange shark. Two emerald green eyes could be seen, glowing fiercely as the arrow-shaped head broke the surface, body following, a massive webbed tail whipping back and forth like a propeller.

And inside the semi-transparent creature.

Was a _very _familiar figure.

Gulpo struggled, wiggling with all its might, yet the grip this strange apparition had upon it would not wane. Its eyes seemed to bug out as the watery shell around the black haired Dreamer seemed to morph, the only thing unchanging being the arm. It appeared to turn into the same type of water sphere that was littered around Splash Garden, before it became a bi-pedal, almost humanoid looking creature. A two-toed foot slammed into the fish, claw being retracted into the body. The fish was sent rocketing away, slamming into the sands, before it floundered about wildly. It regained its senses just in time for the water creature to launch its fist towards it, the fish Nightmaren taking to the air, wiggling away in time to evade the strike, a pillar of sand pluming up where it once lay.

An echoing bellow erupted from the watery shell around Seth, still in the form of the bi-pedal creature. Gulpo seemed to shrink back in fear. It was _indeed_ afraid. It had never seen anything like that before! What the hell was it? Black 'veins' seemed to pulse through its body, coming from the boy in the center of its chest. The boy seemed to snarl, echoed by the narrowing of the eyes on the creature he was within, before the legs tensed, the monster rocketing off towards the fish.

The others could only stare in shock.

"…**Chaos**?" Claris uttered softly.

Astoria blinked. "Wait…_Chaos_? As in that water boss from Sonic Adventure? **THAT's **what that thing is?"

Claris shook her head, not knowing. "I…it looks like it…"

Gulpo's body crackled, spheres of pale violet ripping from its fins. The balls of condensed electricity flew through the air, to be blocked by the water creature, _Chaos_, spitting globs of water at them, diffusing them. But in a maneuver that surprised everyone, it lashed its fist forward, the now electrified blobs twisting around like tendrils, before wrapping around Gulpo. Its own electricity was turned against it, the fish jerking around violently. Its spasms were halted by a solid slam of Chaos' fist into its side, sending it back into the water, where the watery shell with Seth inside, moving his own limbs in tune with the beast surrounding him, proceeded to follow.

Gulpo thought it would be safer in the water.

Gulpo was _wrong._

With a mighty bellow, the sea churned, spouts of water rocketing into the sky, launching Gulpo into the air once again. Chaos, directed by Seth, seemed to twitch, morphing back into the blob of water before it seemed to solidify at the tips of its 'hands'. A soft white mist surrounded them, the fists now turned to-

"**ICE?"** Claris yelled out in surprise. "Chaos can't do that!"

"Maybe it's not Chaos then…that _is _Seth in there…I think…" Penelope spoke, hat off to the side, the girl not minding it due to her surprise.

The fish gave an unholy screech, one that none of them expected considering it's a _fish_. The ice fists apparently hurt. A lot.

"He can pummel that thing all he wants, but it won't finish it. Claris! We have to hold it still somehow! Every time it falls in the water it just heals!" Astoria shouted out.

Claris nodded. "Wait…how do you know that? Hell how do _I _know that?"

"It's Seth! You're connected to him now too! While we're here, I guess we can understand what he knows, we get the knowledge somehow!"

Astoria's theory…was not entirely correct. However, it wouldn't be until much later would she, or any of them, learn what the truth was.

**Much **later.

Claris just nodded, accepting the answer. She rolled her shoulders, not noticing that her top wasn't covering a damn thing anymore. The water monster resembling Chaos had turned back into the Shark-like form again, slapping Gulpo around with its tail, launching wave after wave of unusual red energy from its fin-like claws.

"How do we bind it though…?" Astoria puzzled, frantically.

"Paraloop." Claris spoke pointedly, determined.

"Para…you think it'll work?"

"Maybe…it'll have to be different though. Helen was able to sustain one in the form of a ball…we should be able to make it like a rope."

"It won't be easy…"

Claris nodded, but she was determined. "But we can do it."

Suddenly, the two began to glow. Their eyes widened as their Ideya seemed to spiral out of their chests, surrounding them.

"I…what?"

Both of them stared in shock, as their Ideya began to swirl around them, revolving like planets around a celestial giant.

"We…they…"

Astoria gave a soft smile. "It makes sense…same numbers, same desire…same **purpose**."

Claris stared and then nodded. "We…both want the same thing…with everything we have."

"We want to help him. We want to beat that thing. We want to go **home**." Astoria clarified.

Claris nodded again. "Exactly…I guess…I always thought it was something special…like some power only _he _had…"

Astoria shook her head, gently reaching out to her older sister. "No…remember? Nights said you and Elliot did something similar, when you beat Wiseman."

Claris' eyes widened. "That's right…I forgot…"

"it makes sense too…we _are _sisters after all."

Claris smiled. "Yeah…we are."

The Ideya merged, flaring together into one set.

"Now, let's catch this fish!" Astoria shouted.

To the three girls' immense shock, and Katrina's joy, Claris and Astoria shot off like rockets, trails of pink and violet twinkling sparks in their wake.

Gulpo had finally landed a hit! It slammed, side first, into the Creature's torso, sending it back into the watery depths. However, it would have no time to celebrate, for the next moment it was slammed_ into_, by two rockets, one of pink, and one of violet. Astoria pulled back and shot away, as Claris laid into it with a flurry of punches and kicks. She let all of her frustration at her mother's antics, her feelings of uncertainty about her emotions towards Seth, her rage at this _stupid _fish coming back, and her hope that they'd be able to do _something, __**anything **_to help. To Gulpo, it felt like hundreds of weights were being slammed into its side, before the girl flipped forward, slamming her foot into it, launching it away.

In its flight path, was Astoria, who was waving her hands about, creating multiple tiny paraloops between her and the oncoming fish. Claris was about to do the same-

_**A figure, in all black.**_

_**Its arms slammed to its sides, strands of shadow whipping behind it.**_

_**Thousands of razor sharp chains ripped from the ground beneath its feet, spiraling into the sky.**_

Suddenly, as if directed by a force beyond comprehension, their hands whipped around in a similar motion, trails of twinkle dusts sparking and wiggling before just as suddenly, a series of bright silver chains ripped from the spaces created by their miniature spatial distortions.

"**Chains of Promathia!"**

As one the two cried out, the chains wrapping around Gulpo's form.

Like it was a sort of signal to proceed, the water beneath them frothed and buckled, Seth's form rising from the depths, surrounded by an intertwined, blue and black glow. Immediately, the water spiraled upwards like a twister, before bursting outwards. The shell had returned, only now it was in the form of the head of a massive lizard. Two tendrils of water rose next to it, reaching towards its open maw. Within the shell, Seth's right hand reached outward.

Between the tips of the tendrils, right at the entrance filled with massive razor-sharp teeth, formed a large series of massive ripples. Slowly, the air around that space began to condense, flickers of light like black lightning lancing back and forth. In a few moments, the air seemed to grow so dense that light itself became hard to see through it, until an orb of the darkest black, crackling with energy, had formed. The lizard head gave an echoing bellowing roar, before the orb seemed to vibrate, launching itself from before the creature, slamming into Gulpo's form at a rapid pace. The fish wiggled and wailed a horrid screech, as its scales were torn apart, its fleshy insides becoming exposed, the orb penetrating deep into its very being. Its eyes popped, the gooey liquid within becoming disintegrated by the sphere, as the ball seemed to detonate, sucking in gallons of water, the ethereal chains that the girls had bound Gulpo with, and almost the girls themselves, had the water creature, Chaos, not lashed its tendrils out and grasped them, just as the detonation occurred.

The air shattered with a massive **BOOM**, as the gigantic black distortion closed, not a fragment of Gulpo's existence left.

* * *

><p>A pair of eyes snapped open.<p>

Body lunged forward, gasp of air taken in. Coughs wracked the form.

"Seth! Relax! It's ok you're fine!" Astoria attempted to calm the teen, coughing and gasping.

"Kuh! I…I…what…?" He panted out.

"It's ok!"

"T-Tori? But…Gulpo?"

"Dead! You…killed it, remember?" Astoria's smile became replaced with a frown.

"No…I couldn't…I drowned…the last thing I remember is…choking…dying…"

"But…you killed it! You were surrounded by that water shell and you beat the crap out of it! I mean, we held it still so you could finish it off but you killed it! Chaos! You looked like you were inside Chaos!"

"Chaos…?" Seth asked, heart still racing, brain trying to comprehend that he was still alive.

Astoria nodded frantically. He looked down, at the grass of the Dream Gate. Claris and Astoria had dragged him there, as the others followed.

"That's…no…I…I was _dead_…I _know_ I died…everything went black. I hit the bottom of the sea…"

Astoria was stumped. She sat back on her knees, confused.

"Maybe…it was all subconscious?" Catherine supplied. Everyone looked at her. She flushed at the attention but continued. "I mean…maybe you…got a burst of adrenalin just before you lost consciousness-

"no…" Seth cut her off. "I **was** dead. I know it. Everything stopped. I don't remember anything past things going blurry and then black. I really don't. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't think, I couldn't move…there's just…no way…"

"I heard…a roar." Claris said softly, catching everyone's attention, wearing the shirt that Melissa had crossed over with. "A roar of defiance. As if some giant…beast…was on its last legs, but refusing to give up. The human mind…it will fight for survival beyond even death, sometimes. You said it yourself…you're a survivor. You live where others would have died…but…" She spoke quietly, clutching Seth's arm but not looking at him. "I believe you…when you say you died. It felt like my heart was ripped out of my chest. Like nothing in the world mattered anymore. The…the same feeling I got…when…when dad died. But…then I heard that roar…and I saw…"

"A glyph." Astoria cut in, slowly. "One…one of the glyphs that was on your wall, Seth."

"What…?" Seth stared at her, in surprise. "Which one?"

She shook her head. "Not…not the complex ones. One of the smaller, simpler ones."

"I can…draw it for you." Claris said. "But…we need to get back. Can…can you-

"I…think so. Just…give me a minute. Last thing I knew was dying…" Seth shook his head and slowly stood up. He stumbled slightly, and both Astoria and Claris grasped his arms. "I…I'm a bit dizzy. Probably because…because I wasn't breathing for a while…"

"We can wait, if you-

"No. No I can…I can do at least this…though I'm gonna have to head home for a bit."

"like hell!" Astoria exclaimed. "No way mister, you are staying PUT once we get back."

"Tori…I need-

"You need _rest_." Claris cut him off. "You can rest at our house."

"I don't-

"No." Katherine cut in. "No complaints, no trying to weasel your way out of this, Seth." Everyone stared at the woman whose hands were on her hips. "You saved _both _my girls now. You're tired. You're staying over, no buts."

Seth just stared at her, too tired, too _confused_ to argue. "Fine…let's just…go…"

* * *

><p>It took a little longer than normal, but soon enough the feeling of falling yet staying still engulfed them all. In seconds they were back inside the Sinclair living-room.<p>

Where three vases of flowers promptly shattered.

"…shit…I'm-

"No!" Katrina once again cut him off. "No apologies! Sit!" He did so, too stunned to fight.

"You've told us about your entrances before you got the hang of things. Shit broke around you. It's _fine._ You're tired, you've just been through hell. You say the last thing you remembered was _dying_? I'm not surprised shit broke. Stay put, and relax. I'm going to change, and then I'll clean this up. Astoria, if he even lifts so much as a _finger _to try to help, slap him."

"Yes ma'am!" Astoria spoke, shit eating grin on her face.

Melissa had run off, grabbing a pad and pen from the kitchen, giving it to Claris. The pink haired girl nodded her thanks, and scribbled down the symbol she and Astoria saw, before Seth's miraculous acts.

"That."

Seth stared at it, blinking incredulously.

"…oh the irony…"

"What is it?" Penelope was looking at it from multiple angles, tilting her head.

"That…" Seth spoke.

"…is the symbol, for **Water.**"

* * *

><p><strong>Splash Garden<strong>

The waves were calm. Sounds of seagulls could be heard, yet the birds not seen. Gentle ripples raced along the surfaces of the floating orbs. Pillars of water gushed from their spouts along the paths of flowers. The gigantic flower clock paused, as it always did, each hour, landing on the number 7. The ground of the Ideya Palace hummed softly, as usual. Four lines arranged in the shape of an N with a vertical slash through the center, were visible, as if they had been carved by an expert hand into the floor.

A soft but powerful whoosh of air caused the grass and flowers to begin blowing wildly, as if a single gigantic form had dropped down in the center of the palace.

**The glyph for Water, began to shimmer faintly, a dark, ocean blue.**

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Claris and Seth have now Resonated. She won't experience the same effects that Astoria did, however, for multiple reasons. But she won't be unchanged. Astoria is _very _protective of Seth's name. and I can safely say, that is one of the side effects, both of the merger, and of him saving her life in the first place. She worships him, practically, but for good reason. And at this point, she's been connected to his mind twice, and while in Nightopia with him, has a faint, lingering unison. However… What was that creature? How did Seth survive? Why would one of Seth's markings suddenly show up in Nightopia? And what the _hell _gave that roar?

**Archsage328: **ha…hahaha…AHAHAHAHA. Oh…oh you are either going to _love _me or **hate **me in a couple chapters. I can't say any more than that without revealing vital spoilers though. None of the symbols are anything most people would recognize unless you've played Brave Fencer Musashi. A recurring theme of my stories is that I borrow the shapes of the Elemental Crests from that game…though I still haven't thought of a good "dark" symbol yet. I have ones for the other five primary elements, and even one for time…but none for Dark. That's surprisingly difficult to make. I've got a couple ideas though…

I haven't had the time to take a look at the comics yet, unfortunately. So many things going on at once, hell I barely have time to keep up with the LPs I follow, let alone the fics I follow and write. But I'll look when I can. I've waited ten years, I can wait a bit longer.

**D&S Master: **you realize you werent logged in when you gave that right? Oh believe me, she gets moreso. Much more. Claris won't be exempt from "avenge Seth" either. But…you'll see. Oh…you'll see. Honestly my knowledge isn't as grand as it seems. I know only things I've played, and know well only things I really got interested in. Half the time, you start spitting the Konami Code at me, and if I'm not paying attention I'll look at you like "I know that…but I don't know _where_ I know that from." Ryougi Shiki main here. With a bit of Len, Miyako, and a bit of Nanaya. But Ryougi and Len all the way, though I suck at fighting games period.

AH is Arcana Heart. 3 recently came to US on PSN, and it's fun as hell. Supers are…unusual to pull off though. And I'm still trying to break my mind out of AH1 play, where using homing dashes were limited no matter what. They took out my godlike Saki Spam though…changed her midair combo super to include a knockdown. I used to rock house with that!


	11. Esiw eht fo nem

_Yet another has been destroyed. That makes four now. Gillwing…Clawz…Gulpo…Puffy…all that is left now are Jackle and Reala. Yet…I sense no energy from their deaths. Their existences just…vanished. What ungodly power could cause such an event? I have felt someone breech my wards, someone has encountered __**Them**__. Those whom I sealed away…and yet…they have not come to reclaim what I took._

Floating over his strange stone platform, blank, featureless face like a solid wall, strange, grey erratically formed hair floating behind him.

Wiseman, the Lord of Nightmares, pondered.

He pondered the recent events, the loss of his Nightmaren, the lack of energy returned from their defeat. What was it that could cease the flow of Ideya to him? He knew they could be destroyed, especially with Nights still on the loose, but yet he felt no return.

Suddenly, all six hands flipped around, single eyeballs in their palms, pointing backward to a specific location.

_That sensation has returned. Perhaps it is time to personally investigate._

"Reala."

A shimmer of air. A moment later, the grey clad jester appeared, bowing.

"You summoned, master?"

"Come. You shall accompany me, to this disturbance. We shall put an end to this, before it grows any more."

* * *

><p>A soft wind blew his hair into his eyes. A single hand brushed the strands of black from his face. <em>Stupid hair…<em>

Seth sat on one of the metal slabs within Stick Canyon, pondering.

_Went on another date today. Standard dinner and a movie fare. I'm glad she's like me when it comes to movies though. It's much more fun to speculate the plot with someone in real-time, rather than talking about what we were thinking back in the past. I guess she's still a bit worried about me though…after all I did basically die…again? I dunno what you'd count that as._

He leaned back staring at the sunny sky.

_Chaos…how could I have manifested him? I suppose it's not impossible, given what this world is. But still…none of this makes any sense. Then again…why am I complaining?_

He huffed to himself, feeling slightly humorous.

_I've got a hot girl as my girlfriend, I can go back and forth between the world I know, and a world I can do almost anything I want in…I've got __**friends **__now…_

_So why do I feel…incomplete?_

_Oh…maybe because all of this __**still **__doesn't fit in my head yet. We're no closer to figuring out what Wiseman's really after. I've got no idea how to bloody fly, which seems to be the key to getting around here without being noticed…ugh…I __**am **__over thinking this…_

He sighed.

_Fuck it. Lemme recap. Maybe the answer's back there…ok…day started off normally. Then, that night, I saw Astoria. Crossed over here. Saved her from Reala, almost getting carved in three in the process mind you. And then we…do something that's part of a legend. Our Ideya merges because of our mutual focus towards getting home, we get home, I find out who she is, she finds out who __**I **__am…and doesn't care. I almost get shot, then wake up in the hospital. Couple days later we come here, I meet, and almost beat the shit out of, Nights, along with meeting Will and Helen, who, like Claris and her ex, Elliot, defeated Wiseman before._

_Wiseman's an almighty douche trying to take over all three worlds, and he's already got one. He used to be a dreamer himself that somehow 'lost' his Ideya._

He paused.

_Lost his Ideya…why do those words…sound __**stupid **__to me? Like I just wanna stare at someone blankly and call them an idiot. "You can't __**lose **__your Ideya man…that's like saying you lost a cloud."_

_Anyway. Right, Wiseman. Ok, so after that they showed us Spring Valley, I learned despite my wishes, I __**can't **__fly like the others, I learn I can also bounce between areas in Nightopia and kill Gillwing. So…that's one Nightmaren down. Then I spent a couple days practicing, thank god I did, but then Clawz shows up, almost kills me, then me Will and Helen kick its ass, barely. Their city knows about the Dream World now, and we've all taken their parents to this one…_

_Astoria's a tough little kid…tougher than I am. Even I would have had a hard time facing down the place where my life was ripped apart…then again I keep coming back here, don't I? Maybe she's right, and I'm just selling myself short. I don't usually listen to "them" but this time "they" are right: You are your own worst enemy._

_Ugh…I don't even want to think of that Spydre. But…they said my Ideya broke. I guess it fits. It __**did **__feel like…everything was falling apart. Like I was losing my mind. I don't remember anything until finding myself with Astoria making out with me. Which was strange. Very strange. Never before have I thought of kissing a thirteen year old. And now I have. But only because it happened. And…ok now I'm confusing myself._

_But…apparently I came back with an army. An army of Nightmare. But not the Nightmaren like the ones that kinda just float around, really __**really **__old Nightmaren. Ones born not from Wiseman, but from human fears and darkness. I'd say that's pretty damn badass but…_

_A powerful negative force like that? And I was wrapped in it? I can't help but wonder if that means it has a hold on me. Or if it only does because that's how it works in fiction and because I believe that's how it works that's how it's going to work._

_Sometimes I hate this place. Well…no…not the place. The rules. Cause there's no "Guide to Nightopia: how this shit works" out there._

He gave an annoyed frown.

_Like, does this place actually have 'rules'? or is it's rule 'dreamers make the rules'? and if that's the case, what about me? I'm not asleep, I'm actually __**here**__._

_That's another fuckin thing. Why can't I ever come here? I either just have a dream, see the girl, or get trapped, bored out of my skull in that blank place. Maybe that place is my own head._

_Damn that would suck, that means I'm completely blank. Huh…I guess it kinda fits though…_

_Hmm…or maybe I'm somewhere I'm not meant to be?_

A thought struck him.

_Or…maybe I'm somewhere I'm __**supposed **__to be, when I go there? I haven't really tried doing much. I just get annoyed and try to wake up. Maybe next time I'm there…_

_Assuming I can get past the discomfort. It's not fun being in a completely blank space. I enjoy my silence, but even the ringing in my head is gone there…kinda unnerving._

He sighed again, discarding that thought-line.

_Now that I think about it…I really can't wait to figure out how to fly. But…is this desire mine…or one of __**theirs**__? I guess I have some of their feelings in my head now, floating around. It's kind of interesting to know that Claris is just as confused about her feelings as I am of mine._

_Claris…Claris Sinclair._

_The last person I __**ever **__expected to end up having interest in me. How strange. Every time I think about it…it just doesn't make any sense. I guess this is how these things go. I wouldn't know._

_Regardless, my feelings or theirs, for some reason, I'm extremely hype about flying. I haven't really thought of it much lately, just kind of accepting that I can't. But it would be…nice…this place __**is **__beautiful. I like it here. Much more than back in the city… Then again I'd like it __**more **__if I didn't get jumped every other time I was here. Maybe once Wiseman's gone…_

_A world of dreams…supposedly, in theory, like the Matrix. Rules exist, but only affect you depending on how strongly you believe in them. And I think. Too much. I feel just as much but it's the thoughts that are holding me back. So…I just gotta out-think myself. Wow that's a paradox right there._

_How would it work though? I'd need…well they __**clearly **__don't but __**I **__would need some sort of booster. Like…maybe a sort of counter-gravitational field or distortion or something. Maybe if I try imagining a bubble around me, one that lifts and pulls. Hmm…a self-sustained bubble that I can direct. Ha! Like Broly's friggin green energy field thing. Now __**that **__would be awesome. Useful too. So an inverted gravity bubble…_

_Or wings. Wings would be cool. Hell __**both **__are pretty cool but…hmm…_

_Ugh, I'm too scattered right now. Can't focus on anything._

_Ehh…I should head back, I think. Try to get some sleep. I do __**not **__want to find out what happens if I fall asleep __**here**__. Might blow myself up from within or something crazy. Or end up like Wiseman. That would suck…_

* * *

><p>"Seth!" a familiar voice called out.<p>

"…what the crispy-shit?" was his response, just before Astoria plowed into him, joyfully.

He'd returned to the Dream Gate, planning on shifting realities in a safe place, still not used to just appearing from one of the main worlds, when he ran into all the others. Will, Helen, Claris, Elliot, Astoria and even Nights were gathered.

"Oh, this is nice, we're all here." Helen said happily.

"Uhh?" Was Seth's eloquent response.

"We all just happened to be asleep at the same time." Claris clarified, gently grasping and squeezing his hand. "Though I can't say I expected to run into you in my dreams." She quipped.

"That is both a corny line _and _a low blow. Retaliation will be swift, and brutal, but postponed to a later date because I'm still trying to figure out what the fuck." Seth retorted. Claris just stuck her tongue out at him, and then jerked back in surprise as Seth lurched forward, snapping his teeth.

"Biting may or may not be involved."

"Good to know." She replied, flushing slightly.

"So, you two together already huh?" Elliot smirked out. Seth shrugged, still very confused about _everything_.

"Apparently."

"Apparently?" Elliot questioned. Seth shrugged again.

"Ask her. I know nothing about human mating rituals. I'm leaving the title classifications to her until I can wrap my head around the fact that-

_Wait didn't I have a question?_

Seth suddenly cut off and point at Nights.

"You!" Nights stepped back, a _little _afraid.

"Why could that fish fly! Hell, better question, how did it _not _get fried by its own electricity? It's a **FISH!**"

"Uhh…?" _Fish? What fish?_ "W-wait do you mean Gulpo?"

"Is 'Gulpo' a fish?"

"Yes…?"

"Then that's what I mean."

"I dunno. Do fish not do that in your world?"

Seth stared. The blank gaze made Astoria start giggling madly.

"To quote a man well known from a popular television show, who is a firm supporter of homosexual rights, and is a homosexual himself: You are made of _stupid._"

Even Claris snorted at that.

* * *

><p>"Wait wait wait, lemme get this straight, you three," Seth pointed three fingers in the direction of Nights, Will and Elliot. "took on a fat woman missing her legs, who could bounce more than Sonic on crack, and <em>won<em>?"

"Y'know when you put it like that it doesn't sound anywhere near as impressive." Elliot stated sarcastically.

"Not the point but I'll take it."

"You forgot the rabbit ears." Nights supplied.

"Yes. Because they make _so _much of a difference."

Astoria gently squeezed his arm. "I thought Claris said the date went well."

Claris blinked, _still _amazed at how easily Astoria was able to detect his true feelings. Seth looked at the redhead and blinked.

"What? No. It went fine. We…well I can't truly speak for her but at least I know _**I **_had a good time. No…I'm just…very confused, my head kinda hurts, and I'm a bit tired."

Astoria tilted her head. "Then why come here?"

"I came from Stick Canyon. This world _is _nice, for the most part…and honestly I've always been a bit of an insomniac so I came here to relax and think. I think I thought too much though…that or I was more tired than I thought."

Astoria frowned. "You gonna be ok?"

"Yeah, yeah I'll be fine. Running into everyone just made my head blork for a bit." Astoria nodded.

"Ugh I'm so jealous." Claris spoke honestly, and then blinked. "Wait…why did I-

"Well that proves my theory." Seth spoke, taking the attention away from the girl.

"What theory?" Will asked.

"My theory that Astoria and Claris got some of my personality quirks, and I got some of theirs."

Astoria blinked. "From the merges?"

Seth nodded. "That's what I think. It's already pretty much confirmed that the closer two people are, the more of each other they start to mirror. With us, we've literally shared Ideya. Astoria and I twice, me and Claris once. From the first time though, I could tell that something in me was a bit…different. Not by much but a little bit. Certain things were easier to let go…honestly the world got a bit brighter, in a sense. The second time, it just got stronger."

"And there's also that I can kinda get the feeling of where you are, when we're here." Astoria spoke up. She stayed quiet on the other thing in her mind though. _No need to tell him that I've been seeing his life in my dreams…the nightmares of what those __**idiots**__ put him through just cause he lived…_

Seth nodded. "Now that I think about it, I've got something like that too. Not really a _beacon _but…"

"Just a general feeling of you being alive, and there. It started to fade when you came back from the Nightmare, and vanished…when you drowned."

"Wait hold on, _drowned_?" Nights blurted out.

Seth nodded blankly. "Few days ago, we went to Splash Garden, for a day at the beach. Against my better instincts."

Claris sighed, grasping his hand tightly. "I'm sorry…" Seth's mouth quirked oddly, before he lifted her chin, making her bowed head rise, before flicking her on the forehead.

"If I didn't want to go myself, you wouldn't have been able to push."

"I'm sure the fact that Catherine stood topless for you didn't sway your opinion in the slightest." Claris smirked out.

"It didn't." Astoria said. Everyone turned to her. "He's a guy, and a healthily minded one at that." Seth blinked. _Some of my…thoughts…too?_

"But he's not so perverted that dropping a pair of boobs in his face are going to override his morals or instincts."

Claris paled slightly. "…shit. I didn't mean-

Seth held up a hand to stop her, gently placing it on her arm. She sighed. No words needed to be spoken. She simply got the feeling he _understood._

"I'm still sorry." She said.

"I have fingers. They will rapidly impact your forehead."

She flushed slightly, knowing he only did that when someone he cared about was being pointlessly stupid.

"No thanks…"

A thought came to her mind. "Actually, here's a question. Why the hell are you so damn calm about all this, Story?"

Astoria blinked up at her sister. "One, I've got some of his personality now. Double-time even. He's naturally a calm person. Two, after you've lived through having some guy tie you down, naked I might add, and see some random dude come along, save you, and get his back carved open in the attempt, then find out you _were in an entirely different world_, either you get paranoid about _everything_, or pretty much nothing can bother you." _Except the thought of losing __**him**__._

Elliot was taking in all the information. Will, however, realized something. "Hey…didn't _we _take down the fat lady a few days ago?"

Elliot blinked, looking at Will then looking to the starry sky, mentally counting. "…actually yeah. Think they're connected?"

"She _did _seem to…falter…at one point." Nights muttered.

"Oh yeah, when she twitched and whirled around, letting us smack her into that wall!" Elliot exclaimed.

"You think that the events are connected?" Helen asked, sitting on the fountain.

"We Nightmaren can sense when others of our kind are destroyed. It's likely that we were just battling Puffy when they destroyed Gulpo." Nights suggested.

"Y'know, I've always wanted to do something." Seth spoke out of nowhere. Astoria frowned. Claris twitched, a sensation of discomfort tickling her mind. _Was that…Seth?_

"Y'know the phrase 'it's not over till the fat lady sings'? And how it's supposedly derived from a running opera trend? Well, if that's true…I want someone to make an opera where the fat lady sings _at the beginning_, a skinny man sings in the middle, and then a…midget hermaphrodite sings at the end. _JUST _to fuck with people's heads."

Everyone stared at him, stunned.

He just looked back, a completely straight look on his face.

"**So…this is where you have been hiding."**

The group whirled around, a **massive **distortion appearing in the air above them.

"I…know that voice…" Nights spoke, softly.

"**Indeed. One would expect you…"**

The distortion erupted, a wave of murky red and brown giving way to two figures, one, being Reala, and the other…

"to know the voice, of your Creator."

"Wiseman!" Nights yelled out.

_This…is Wiseman?_ Seth thought to himself. Before them floated a seemingly transparent being. Face pale as a concrete floor, blank, emotionless, no features whatsoever. Strange angled spikes coming off of its head, resembling hair. Three six pointed jewels arranged in a necklace around the area of his throat. A long blue robe reaching to the ground, only to be not touching it due to the fact that Wiseman was floating. Six pale, detached hands floating before him, each one with a different colored eye embedded in its palm.

"…alright, I can see how he got the title 'Lord of Nightmares.' The whole 'invisible body, multiple eye-palm hands, floating cloak' thing you've got going is suitably freaky." Seth spoke absently.

Had he eyebrows, one would be quirked. "Indeed. A dreamer that knows proper respect. And yet…I sense something odd about you…" Wiseman retorted.

"It ends here, Wiseman!" the Nightmaren yelled.

"Indeed it does. I did not expect to find all of the thorns in my side gathered in one space when I investigated that distortion I felt. However a boon such as this one will not be ignored. Your Ideya will be mine, and with it, I shall remove my most recent problems." _Though that boy…what __**is **__he? He does not feel like the others. He feels…solid. Real. And yet he feels…tainted._

_Tainted by the nightmare._ The hands twitched. _**He **__is the one who made contact with the Old Ones…_

"Not if **I **have anything to say about it!" Nights screamed before launching itself towards its creator, intending to start, and end, the final battle in one moment.

It wasn't much of a battle, however. A flash of light and a bolt of electricity would ark from one of his six hands, a wave of another and a massive twister would emerge, threatening to suck Nights in. The Nightmaren was easily dispatched by the Lord of Nightmares. Ducking below hurled boulders from out of nowhere, sliding between twin jets of flame, dancing around spears of ice, Nights showed the dreamers its true skill.

But even with all of its evasive maneuvers, even with all of its skill and speed, it was no match. As soon as it grew close to Wiseman, his barrier, that thrice damned barrier, erupted into place, repelling the purple jester. Nights' eyes widened in shock, its hatred of its creator taking hold and blinding it to the memory that this being, had a near impregnable defense. And only the unison between two dreamers, was able to penetrate it. In an instant, a wave of compressed air, Nights was blown back, slamming into the ground, groaning from the impact, but surprisingly very little harm had come to it.

"Pitiful, Nights. How pitiful. You have grown weak, pathetic, dependant on the unison between yourself and dreamers. You are no better than I. You who claim to deny my methods do the very same yourself. You are _nothing _without the power of Ideya."

Wiseman's form shifted, his body sliding around, 'facing' the group. Facing Seth.

"You who have been touched by the Nightmare, you, who have been marked by insanity…come to me."

Wiseman stuck out a single hand, floating on that strange platform of his. His words, powerful, his wishes, obvious. He wanted Seth, for some reason. The stepped up, ready to come to Seth's aid, Astoria coming to his side, Claris on his other, and the others right behind them.

"I have sensed your power, power that screams of my own. You are gifted with a very special strength, one I can cultivate within you. Join me. And together we can make all three realms ours!"

Seth stared at him, eyes blank, gaze calculating. With that one statement, everything seemed to fall into place.

"…if you'd asked me a month ago…I'd probably had said yes." Seth replied, surprising everyone. He seemed to sag slightly, furthering their confusion.

"Y'know I always thought something was wrong with me. I never made it here, y'know, even after I learned about this place. Come to think of it those odd nightmares only started _after _the accident…after I first came here. That voice saved my life…but brought me a lot more problems. I had nothing, basically. No friends, no family, city hated me for the stupidest of reasons…all I had was cash and stuff. But no people in my life…nobody to call my own. You'd have had the perfect little tool then…"

He looked up, past Wiseman, at the starry gentle violet sky.

"But you took too long. Reala called Astoria…and I met both of them. If it weren't for meeting Astoria…I'd still be that same depressed kid, barely clinging to life because Death didn't seem like a better option at the time. But then I met her, and then I met her sister…and I learned about this world. And I learned that I could come here whenever I wanted, but not through my dreams. No…even if I don't have that nightmare…even if I became 'aware' of myself while I was sleeping, I never saw this world. Not Splash Garden, not Mystic Forest, not even here, the Dream Gate. I kept finding myself in that damn grey void."

_Grey…Void? I know no world like that._

"So I thought something must be wrong with me. I must be flawed…a failure, somehow. But…now I'm not so sure. Seeing you here, hearing your offer…knowing, what you are, and what your origins were. Things are starting to make sense now. Questions are…becoming answered. I've realized…it would make _sense_ for me to be stuck in that void, if it started _after _the Spydre. _After_ I was touched by the Old Ones…but I've been going there since the beginning, since I first heard that voice."

_What voice is he speaking of?_

"So I'm wondering…maybe it's not because I'm flawed, or missing something. Maybe I'm going there, because I'm _meant _to be there? I wonder if there's something there…something I'm supposed to do…or see? After all I'm the only one I've ever heard of that can go back and forth between our Material World, and this Dream World, at will."

_Wait, what?_ Wiseman thought.

"And then…when I think about it, more things make sense. Like why I can't fly…and why I can't do some of the things everyone else can here. It's not because I _can't_, it's because I'm literally _stopping myself_. This whole time…seeing how _easily _you bent this world, seeing how simple it was for you…I think I've realized something."

"And what would that be, boy?"

"I get it now. I really do. I won't say I pity you, Wiseman." The Lord of Nightmares' eyes narrowed.

"No…but I understand your origins now. You had the **Potential **didn't you? You were one of the few Dreamers that could become the next Dream Lord." Seth stated, confidence in himself, and his theory growing. Wiseman's eyes widened in surprise. Not even his Nightmaren knew that.

"And how did you reach this conclusion?" He tried to play it off. But if there was one thing Seth was good at, it was reading people.

"Your actions. Your maneuvers. They scream of one who has lost a chance at something, a chance they wish to take back. You were here, weren't you? All seven Ideya. The perfect dreamer, locked in a coma with no ties to the human world. But something was wrong. Off. You never reached your full potential…because to you, this world was just a tool. A means to an end. You understood, you desired, you had the courage to go through with your wishes, the knowledge to pull it off, the adaptability trait of growth to match changing circumstances, the hope of success, and the purity of mind to push through. But there was one flaw within you, one major thing that kept this world from accepting you as its ruler."

"And what would that be?" Wiseman was slowly getting angry, as well as nervous. Could this _child _know what it was he was missing all those millennia ago?

"All of it, in your mind, was fake. There was no sense of realism for you. All of this was just a plaything, a tool, a way to get what you wanted. The world sensed this, and did not outright deny you, but refused to help you. Thus, time passed, and you grew frantic. You grasped and called but no answer came. Your human body died, leaving you trapped here, in limbo. You knew this, and slowly, you went insane. All you had left now was this world, this false realm of dreams and chaos."

As he spoke, Nights began feeling a tightening in its chest. Something was happening, something was _changing_. Noticed out of the corner of his eye, but not spoken upon, Seth saw the strange gem oddly enough resembling one of the crystals around Wiseman's neck, begin to shimmer softly.

"The desire overloaded you, it took you. And that led to your downfall. But the legend you spun to the world after your evolution was false. You never _lost _your Ideya. That doesn't _happen_. Especially not to a powerful dreamer like you. No…they changed. They _mutated_. You retained your comprehension, but the others…"

He closed his eyes, feeling something touching his very heart.

"Loneliness, fear, misfortune, corruption, rage, and despair."

Suddenly something shot through the minds of Nights, Reala and the group of dreamers.

"_**Jyel, faf, jenha, beja, guwo, gauzewiga…"**_

The first words Seth had spoken, upon returning from the Nightmare.

"You became lost in your mutated emotions, the corrupted Ideya locking you into the Nightmare, where you were driven further insane by your failures, the feeling of rejection. And then you transformed. The Potential was always there, but now it was changed. Rather than become the Lord of Dreams, you were mutated, infused with negativity beyond compare…and became the Lord of **Nightmares**. You gained the title of ruler, but it was incomplete…and even now, you feel in your heart that there is something missing. And I can tell you _exactly _what that is."

Enraged, disgusted, insulted…but curious. The Lord of Nightmares bid one last question. "What?"

The feeling in Nights' chest became a pulsing heartbeat. Something within it had awakened. An instinct? A sense of knowledge? Unknown to them, all life in Nightopia stopped. All the dream dwellers, all the nightmaren halted what they were doing, turning towards the direction where Seth, Wiseman and the others were present. All of their attentions focused on the one sensation, gathering just at the edge of their perceptions.

A moment, that seemed to stretch into eternity. Dreamers and Dwellers alike all held their breaths, as if every ear were listening for the next words.

"You never encountered **her.**"

* * *

><p>A world of grey.<p>

Two eyelids slowly opened.

A soft, shuddering breath was taken.

A pair of lips parted.

"…**daddy…"**

* * *

><p>An explosion of light erupted from Seth's chest. Everyone was forced to shield their eyes as an impossible shine ripped from the very core of his body. A rumbling echoed through the very air itself, as if some massive creature were awakening. The roaring rushing sound of wind and <em>power <em>filled their ears, their very beings feeling compressed by the wall of **pressure **that erupted from the teen's body. But then, just as suddenly as it came, it went. Shrinking into the size of a small orb floating right in front of Seth's heart, the light pulsed faintly.

Before their very eyes, a series of crystal-like objects materialized around it, almost like a snowflake. The core of the crystal arrangement, the once impossibly brilliant light, pulsed, and a curtain of silver surrounded the shimmering star. Everyone stared in surprise. Even Wiseman was shocked, for now, standing before his eyes…

Was another awakened potential.

Seven glowing orbs surrounded the boy, hair fluttering under the curtails of the conceptual power released by the presence of all seven Ideya.

It all made sense now. Every single thing. It helped that his mind was already open to the concept of entire planets, even universes, having a single being that was their core. And that openness, that notion, allowed him to finally comprehend what it was, that he'd been seeing the entire time.

"Your greatest folly, your biggest failure, was that to you, this world was not _real_. When you denied the truth of this world, when you adhered to the ideal that nothing was of any form of reality here, you blinded yourself to her visage, you deafened yourself from her voice, and you silenced yourself from her ears. That you refused to accept that this world had its own rules, its own life, is what kept you from attaining your desire." Seth stated with confidence. A confidence none of them had ever heard before.

"The difference between you and I, Wiseman, is that I have seen her from the very beginning. It was _her _voice that led me here, the moment of the crash that claimed my parents lives, the one that was meant to claim mine as well. It was _her _who guided me to utilizing the ability to cross between the realms, an ability I did not understand. It was _her _who pushed me forward, gave me the drive to learn, to comprehend. It was _her _who called to me, to us, to save her from your corrupted touch."

"Who is this girl you speak of? Who is it that denied me my _right_?" Wiseman roared with fury and venom.

"_She _is the very **life **of this world! _She _is its soul, its very **pulse**! _She _is the one who has been waiting all this time, for a dreamer to come and reclaim this world from destruction! The Lord of Nightmares is an incomplete being, enough to barely keep _her _existence going. That is why you have been allowed to continue to exist. Because if there is no Lord of Dreams, there _must _be a Lord of Nightmares, to keep stability, even if it is faint. But your desire to claim not just both realities, but all three, have disturbed her. She cannot continue to exist if the Nightmare is all that there is. There must be a balance, and the Lord of Dreams is the _Scion _of that balance!"

Fury was emanating from his very being. Wiseman was incensed beyond compare, his rage becoming palpable in a wavy aura of flaming orange.

"But your time has ended, Wiseman. She has cried out in pain one time too many. She has called for help, for her world to become whole again. And you are not the one who will unify it. It is time for you to bow out, Wiseman. Your role has ended. The biggest difference between you and me, is that for you, this world meant nothing. While for me…" _I like it here…I like it more than back there. If I could…I'd get rid of him…and live here forever…_

"For me…this place, is _home!_"

The Ideya around the boy seemed to shiver at that statement.

"You…_dare _believe a worthless human like you can replace ME? I AM THE LORD OF NIGHTMARES! **I AM ETERNAL!**"

A _massive _sphere of flame ripped from Wiseman's form. In the blink of an eye, the Ideya stopped floating around Seth's body, and shot in front of him. They arranged themselves oddly, red, green, blue and yellow, rotating in a circle in front of him, before stopping arranged in the form of the edges of a square. A ring of light connected them, as black shot above, and white distanced itself from the rest, below all of them. As they did so, Silver slipped itself in the middle of the square-like arrangement, flaring heavily. The sphere of flame impacted the combination, streaks of light linking all seven Ideya in an odd manner, before appearing to shred itself from within.

"WHAT?"

Seth looked at the arrangement, surprised. A flash of light, and the Ideya vanished, replaced with a cross-tipped staff. All seven colors seemed to spiral around it, as if the Ideya had fused and twisted like a rope. Blood red seemed to coat its edges, green, blue and yellow seemed to spiral together in the circle around the cross. The horizontal portion of the cross itself was made by strands of black and white, while the vertical shaft was pure silver. The cross seemed to flare heavily once, before it solidified as almost completely red, with faint streaks of the other colors shimmering within it, like a pulsing heartbeat, coming from the very center of where the vertical and horizontal came together, where there was a soft silver gem.

_Eh? It looks like Skeith's Wand! The crap?_

Wiseman's form seemed to flutter back slightly as Nights and Reala's eyes widened in shock. Floating before Seth was the very _Key _to this world. The legend stated that the Lord of Dreams would hold a Cross-tipped staff that unlocked the Tower of Dreams, and from there, the heart of the realm. They stared as Seth grasped the staff in both hands, looking at it, amazed, before closing his eyes slowly. He took a deep breath, as something touched his heart, words filling his mind, begging to be spoken.

"**Rrha ki ra ini tonelico oz meo sos ciel!"** (_in this focused trance I initialize the Tower of Dreams for the sake of the World_)

The reaction was instantaneous. The world seemed to flicker and rumble as a blaze of light erupted from Seth's back. Six pillars of illumination shimmered and waivered, emerging from behind him before stiffening and shattering, becoming six points of shimmering prismatic light in the form of what were quite obviously wings. The staff seemed to pulse, before Wiseman felt his body being pushed away. The Lord of Nightmares roared in defiance, before being swept up in the waves of power coming off of the staff, blowing him backward where he slipped into a gateway to the Nightmare, to escape the purifying essence.

Reala had a lesser reaction, feeling burned but he left on his own, bowing to the will of the world, mind puzzled by the sensation of familiarity building within his chest.

* * *

><p>The light touched everything, coating everyone in its shine before they all felt a pulling sensation, as the staff reacted to the world's desire, and transported them to another location. When the tingles faded, their eyes cleared of remaining dots of white, they noticed they found themselves at the base of the Tower of Dreams.<p>

"Huh…never been here before." Seth said absently, still holding the staff, but in one hand. The shimmering lights were fluttering behind him.

"Seth! You have wings!" Astoria called out. The teen looked over to her, blinking.

"I do?" He reached back, feeling nothing but air. And then he realized, the air felt _different, _warmer almost. He turned his head, craning his neck, and barely saw a prick of light coming from his back. He gave a goofy smile, one that Claris felt her cheeks flushing at.

"Oooo just like in ToS! Sweet and I didn't have to give up my soul for them. Or even eat a rock!"

"Hey! We're at the Tower! Nights didn't you say only someone with all seven Ideya could open it?" Will spoke excitedly.

"Y-Yeah…"

"Eh? Tower?" _That would explain the whole 'Tonelico oz Meo' bit…Hymmnos? Really? First Skeith's Staff, and now Hymmnos? The hell is going on here? Something as __**old **__as this place…controlled by recent things?_

"Seth, you should try!" Helen exclaimed, just as excited.

"Try…what exactly?" Though he felt…incredible, like a part of him that was missing was finally found, he was still confused. He wasn't with them when they initially came to the defunct tower, and nobody mentioned it to him. On top of which, he recognized certain aspects of the World, supposed key things, and they didn't make _any _sense.

"Come on!" Claris grabbed his hand, noting the very sharp but not unpleasant tingle that raced through her body from the point they touched. Oh something had changed alright, but _what _was still yet to be seen. As they approached the Warding Gate, the holes within lit up on their own. They watched as all seven spaces were filled with color, before what looked like chains made out of random symbols appeared over the doors, before shattering. Slowly, the gates opened inward, allowing them all to see a strange grey emptiness within.

"Well…let's take a look then." Claris said, nervous but adventurous. Elliot groaned.

"Dammit CS that curiosity of yours is gonna screw us over some day…"

"Well it won't be today! Come on!" She once again grabbed Seth's hand, again feeling the tingle, and marched through the gateway with him.

* * *

><p>A grey void surrounded them. Up, down…none of it made sense. All they knew was forward.<p>

"I don't like this place." Seth spoke, uneasy. Claris could feel him gripping her hand tighter. Astoria slipped in next to him, the staff vanishing into pale grey sparkles as they crossed the gateway, and slipped her own hand in his other, squeezing it for comfort.

"Why not?" Helen asked.

"Because _this _is the place I was talking about. Welcome, I guess, to the only place I've ever seen in my dreams."

Suddenly the world changed. A heavy pulse ripped through the air, and beneath their feet, a wave of greenery appeared. Grass, flowers, butterflies, trees, logs, rivers, blue sky, clouds all appeared suddenly, as if forming from the very nothingness around them. Life, surrounded them.

Seth stared blankly at the unexpected, and unexplained shift. "…or not…?"

"Woooow…" Helen spoke absently. "its beautiful here."

"Hey, who's that?" Will noted, pointing forward. In front of them, in the distance, standing at the edge of a small lake, was a human shape.

"Maybe they know where this place is…" Nights spoke, odd tight feeling in its chest still not completely gone.

The group walked forward, passing by beds of flowers as they did. The field was incredible, petals and leaves floating in the sky, gentle breeze fluttering the grass beneath them. The shape got more defined the closer they got, becoming less of a blob of red, white and black, and more of a person. As they approached, the person rose from their crouched position, smoothing their dress before turning around. The group stopped as the person turned, Seth taking a step back in surprise.

"You…you're-

"DADDY!"

**WHAM!**

As soon as the girl (for it was now obvious it was a little girl) laid eyes on Seth, she bolted right at him, leaping and crashing into him, sending them both to the ground. Her arms were wrapped around him, head buried in his chest, black hair billowing out behind her.

"Guh!"

"Daddy! Daddy's home! Daddy's home!" The girl exclaimed joyfully.

"D-daddy?" Claris echoed, shocked beyond belief.

Seth just laid there, staring at the clouds for a moment, trying to recover from the impact. The girl pulled back after squeezing him one last time, smiling at him brilliantly. Slowly, he recognized her.

"You're the girl…from my nightmares." She smiled sadly.

"I'm sorry daddy…it was the only way I could get through to you. The bad man was too strong, the Nightmare was everywhere."

"Wait, you're the girl that kept calling out for help in our nightmares?" Elliot spoke, surprised. The girl just nodded.

"I needed to find daddy. He'd been gone for too long. But the bad man took over, and I couldn't feel anything anymore. So I called out, over and over, to anyone who could hear me. I wanted to find daddy. And now, I found him!" She said.

"Why…do you call him that?" Astoria asked. Claris may have been slightly upset, but Astoria was just interested. The girl was younger than she was, but she couldn't tell by how much. The black haired child seemed to possibly be in the form of a ten-year old, but who knew how old she truly was?

"Because he _is _my daddy. Daddy was master of this place a long time ago…but he said he had to go away for a while. He had to go back to being human, to being normal. It was part of keeping him from becoming like the bad man. You can only have so much power, be a God for so long, before it starts to get to you. Even Daddy was no exception, but he lasted much longer than most others. He said he would be back, and to keep this world from breaking without him, he would put me to sleep, so things would go slowly. But he was gone for too long. The bad man came, and I thought he might have been daddy's replacement for a while, but the bad man didn't believe in this world." She shook her head, still straddling Seth's lap, but letting him rise so he was sitting properly.

"The bad man wasn't so bad at first, he was just…full of himself. Arrogant. But he didn't believe, he didn't really care…so I couldn't let him be daddy's replacement. This world needs someone who loves it, someone who is willing to protect it, fight for it, not just use it. And then the bad man became bad. But he was still needed. So I let things go…but he got too powerful. So I cried, and called for daddy, but he never came. So I kept trying, because daddy always taught me never to give up. And I could feel it. This world was beginning to touch others. And I wondered if maybe he was in one of the other worlds. So I called and called."

"And because of Wiseman's strength, we received those calls as nightmares." Claris concluded. "You were looking for…Seth?"

Seth's head tilted towards the little girl on his lap. She smiled. "Yep! Well…at least _specifically._" The girl clarified.

"Daddy is daddy, even if he looks a bit different. Daddy said his soul would go back to the human world and exist there. He would come back eventually, but he couldn't tell me when. This world has had rulers before, and one of them was a very powerful woman, but for the longest time, Daddy was the only one from your world to call this place home. He loved this world more than his own. And he was the _best _ruler. The others were tailored for the role, crafted. They followed their duty, but their hearts were…fake…but daddy, daddy was from your world. From the human world. And he hated it there. He was always full of pain. But he loved this world, not just because he could do things here that he couldn't there, but because this world felt more _real_ than the other one." She spoke the last words softly, frowning sadly.

"Disillusioned with the real, he came to this world every night in his dreams. And every day, when he woke, it caused him pain…" Seth spoke, hauntedly. Feelings, thoughts, instincts…emotions all raced through his mind. Echoes of knowledge, ripples of pain and fear. Reverberations…of love. The girl stared at him, as the others blinked.

"For every morning he woke, he wished to return. In the end, he lived his days, only to sleep, to dream, to return _home_." His eyes flickered, before he blinked rapidly, only to grunt as the girl enveloped him in another crushing hug.

"Daddy always said that when a soul reincarnates, somewhere, it remembers. You're him, I know you're him, even though you feel different. You don't love this world yet, but you accept it. You accept it in a way so far only those five have." She gestured her head towards Claris and the others. "But I can tell, you came here a lot after I first called you."

"Every time I slept, I had that nightmare. Where you called for 'daddy' and then…"

"That was a possible future." The girl said. "I didn't mean for it to happen all the time, but that's how the message was warped by the bad man's power."

"You…you pulled me here, didn't you?" Seth said. The girl nodded. "I felt it. You were going to die, you were going to have to start over. I didn't want that. It would have taken too long. So I touched the walls between worlds. They're very weak where you live. And I pulled you here. But daddy, you always _had _that power. It was just sleeping, dormant. All I did was wake it up, and give it a destination."

"Wait…you mean-

"Daddy was always meant to be the Lord of Dreams again. It's part of who you are. The question was _when _would it happen? I couldn't wait any longer. I needed to have you find this place, find me. And I needed you _now_. The bad man is too strong, and he wasn't fading away like he was supposed to. The Lord of Dreams can't be in control while there's a Lord of Nightmares, because that much power would keep clashing, and tear the world apart."

"So we still need to beat Wiseman, for good." Claris said.

"Now that the Tower has been activated, the Izanami has returned. And because of that, the bad man can now be killed. But it won't be easy. Even though Daddy is back, you're not as strong as before, the world won't allow for it. And even though I'm basically its essence, I can't change that rule. Until you clam the mantle of Lord of Dreams again, you'll still just be a very powerful dreamer. So while you have the key, while you have the Izanami, the bad man could still recover his old self, and take over."

"Izanami?" Helen asked.

"The Lady of Death herself. Ruler of the Underworld, guide for lost spirits. One of the Mothers of the Land. The staff was named after Her, because it has the power to banish souls. It was used mostly to reject powerful enough dreamers that were trying to ruin the stability of the world. Beings like the bad man, who would gain power and try to take over for their own sake and wishes."

"So what now?" Elliot asked.

"Wiseman's been thrown back into the Nightmare for now, but he'll recover. When he does, he'll probably try to make his way to the tower…" Seth mused.

"Because of Daddy's return, and the natural weakness of the barriers, the worlds are almost fully connected now. What happens here may begin to affect the other world too. If the bad man floods enough people with negativity, he'll be able to cross over, if only partially. Plus, the Tower is right in the border between worlds."

"So if we fight there it might be a bad thing?"

"I can't say…I've been asleep, focused on finding daddy again…"

"Alright." Seth said. "We've opened the gate, and learned a lot. Let's call it here. We'll head back and start preparing. Warn people we trust and care about, tell them if they start having any recurring nightmares of anything in _sixes_, to let us know."

"What about you?" Claris asked.

"I'm gonna be popping in and out, training with this thing." He held his hand out, and the Izanami appeared within. "He wiped the floor with us last time, so I wanna know how this thing works, how it feels."

"Can she come out with you?" Helen asked. Seth blinked and turned to the girl who had pulled him up.

"Not yet." She said. "Daddy has to claim his title before he can easily warp both worlds again. Then I'll be able to go back and forth like he can. Well…then many people will be able to go back and forth, I think. It's how it worked last time. Powerful dreamers with five or six shining Ideya could go between worlds at will, but it wasn't a widely known ability. Usually they would just trip in through weak points in the barriers."

"Will you be alright here?" Seth asked. She invaded his dreams, was in his thoughts and heart. But she was only able to do that because she was apparently already tied to him, just like Astoria.

The girl nodded. "He can't get in here unless he opens the gate. He doesn't have the right Ideya to be let through. I'll be safe from him here."

"Alright. I'll be back soon…Mikoto." The girl smiled brightly, happy he remembered her name.

* * *

><p>A strong wind blew.<p>

Stringy black hair fluttered backward, as a vaguely feminine form stared up at the blood red sky.

The wind surprised all around her. Warmth began spreading through their bodies.

A pale, gaunt face tightened.

And a woman _smiled_.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Well…here we go. This is where the final leg of the story begins. The Lord of Dreams has supposedly been found. Wiseman has revealed himself, his true origins are now known. Wiseman could have been a Lord himself…if he wasn't such a fool.

Next chapter…Next chapter…is where I blow your minds. You aren't expecting what I have coming. Not in the slightest.

**ZX**: that's a bit more elaborate than I want to make. I've got an idea of what to do though. But thanks for the suggestion anyway!

**Smileyfox5150:** Jeez, all ten chapters in a single go. That's something **I'd **do. Puffy gets an offscreen death, but we at least learn some of it. Exactly how they ended her will be mentioned later on. The buildup finally triggered, and now we see what I've been leading to.

For now.

**Archsage328:** not just appear. _Manifested._ Seth somehow manifested the form of Chaos as a shell around him, like Naruto's Kyuubi cloak. How, and why, aren't going to be revealed for a LONG time. Realistically, Seth's interactions are mostly with Claris and Astoria. Elliot follows Claris' lead, and has no beef with Seth, and Will and Helen live in a different City. Astoria spends a lot of time with Seth, and now that they're dating, Claris will too. Keep in mind, I'm writing them as close to "real" people as possible. People have lives that they live, and don't always hang around one another like they do in anime or games. As for why I was laughing…well, you'll find out next chapter. Hehehehe….


	12. At Night's End

A bob of black hair rose.

"Daddy! Welcome back!"

The strange child who lived in the grey void, Mikoto, hugged Seth, whom had emerged into the inner walls of the Castle of Dreams.

"Hey."

"I didn't expect to see you so soon daddy."

"Yeah…I wish I came just to visit but…"

"You have questions. That's ok. Toki wa jikan da na." She spoke with a smile.

…_time is…time? heh…I get it._

After she spoke, she gently grasped his hand, and once again the grey void changed. Now, they were at the top of a large hill, on a grassy plateau overlooking a giant field of white flowers. Mikoto beckoned him to sit with her, on a blanket that seemed to form from nowhere, a wicker basket resting atop it.

"You haven't eaten yet today, have you daddy?" Seth blinked.

"No…I haven't…how did you know that?"

Mikoto just giggled. "I wouldn't be very good at what I do if I couldn't tell your physical state now would I?"

He sat down with the girl, the child opening the basket to reveal-

"Is that…_sushi_?" Seth's eyes widened. Unless they'd gotten it from the mergers, not even Claris nor Astoria knew his _love _for sushi.

Mikoto just handed him a small plastic tray and a pair of chopsticks. The two began to eat, Seth savoring every roll.

"Ok…there's one." He said, referring to his intention to question the girl.

"How can this exist?"

"The Dream World was formed off of human memories, thoughts, ideas, and emotions. The world remembers all of them, and after 'seeing' them enough times, can re-create the exact forms and essence of things."

"Wait…so anything that people have dreamed about enough times…exists here?" She nodded. Seth blinked, and moved on.

"Ok, I've been able to bring things here, from my world…but what about bringing something from here, back? I know Clawz was able to come through…"

"As long as the place you're trying, or not intentionally bringing something back with you, is tied to this world, it can take form. However, if its shape or function goes beyond what your world's natural current rules allow, it won't exist. It'll just disappear. Clawz was able to follow you because he both had a shape and essence that _could _exist in your world, as well as you appearing in Bellbridge, which has been tied closer to the Dream, much like your city."

Seth nodded.

"Alright, here's something else that's been bugging me. Why was the Tower controlled by Hymmnos? That didn't exist until a few years ago. And why did Chaos manifest around me?"

"The Dream World is a timeless existence. It's one of the few places where all of time itself, past, present, and future, collide. Much like the internet. Everyone comes to the Dream World at some point in their lives, at least once. As for the Tower, Hymmnos was one of the things the last few rulers cherished most, and felt would be perfect for a control source. Chaos, manifested, because it was the first water creature that could both protect and destroy, that your subconscious mind could think of."

"But how would this world know what either of those two things are?"

"Because someone dreamed about them. It doesn't matter when things are created in your world, for them to exist here. _Someone_ **somewhere** at _**some time**_ has to dream about it, for the world to begin to acknowledge its existence as a concept. The more dreams about that thing, from multiple forms, the more solid the concept becomes, before the world registers it as a real thing. All ideas come from somewhere, be it inner thought…" She trailed off, hoping he'd pick up on it.

"…or from a dream they had." She smiled brightly.

"Exactly. Just because it doesn't yet exist in your world as a real thing, doesn't mean someone isn't caught in a dream involving it. And that someone might just have seen enough, been impacted enough, for them to puzzle out how they could make it real."

"That doesn't really explain _why _Chaos of all things showed up…especially…since I was dead."

Mikoto frowned a bit. "The thing is…when a person _physically _comes into a world that was originally meant for the mind, things…work a little differently. Concepts that usually don't come into play here, start. It's possible for someone dreaming to indeed _die_ in their dreams, if their connection to this world is strong enough, and the signal their brains receive is strong enough to override their natural sense of 'waking' versus 'sleeping'. But for you…who comes here physically, death is a much, much realer concept…"

She had paused, trying to gather her thoughts.

"…Chaos…was once one of the Guardians of this World. Daddy 'employed' a manifestation of Chaos as the protector of Splash Garden. As for _why _he manifested this time…when he hasn't been around since Wiseman came, is because _you _summoned him."

"How though? I was _dead_."

She shook her head. "No…you were just at the border between life and death. The border where were you awake and conscious, you would have been filled with immeasurable strength, much like the rest of humanity that wishes to survive. But because you weren't awake, your subconscious was the last thing to shut down. And your subconscious is what drives you to survive. You've always had traces of Comprehension, much stronger than anyone else, so somewhere, deep inside your subconscious, something _refused_ to accept death. It refused to be defeated, it _knew _it could survive, and now that your conscious mind was no longer holding it back, it could access its full might."

"…and I know of Chaos…and that Chaos is a water manifestation…"

"Exactly."

"That doesn't explain how I lived though."

"You lived because you _wanted _to."

Seth stared at her. "…so…I broke…all sense of _logic_…because I wanted to survive…"

"The last conscious thing you remembered was drowning, but your subconscious mind knew that you'd _fathomed _the concept of this world not being entirely real, thus water not really existing."

"And because of that, it allowed me to breathe again, because it knew that _technically _I wasn't _in _water. I was in a place that looked and felt like water, but could have been jell-o for all I cared."

Mikoto nodded.

"But why did…Claris and Astoria hear that roar? And see the symbol for Water I took from BFM?"

"For the second, because the last few Lords have used that particular symbol to represent Water, just like you do. For the first…well…daddy always was a bit of a Dragon."

"Ehh?"

"Daddy always had the fierce strength and protectiveness of a Dragon. Quiet and calm, even companionable during times of peace, but during battle, a raging force of destruction beyond compare. Always following the shape and rule of Tiamat, no venue of attack or defense was beneath him, though preferences existed. It's possible that a part of your subconscious, seeing as you are a clear reincarnation of Daddy, will always mirror that of a Dragon. The roar was probably your subconscious defying what your conscious believed to be 'logic' and 'reality' and breaking through your own self-imposed limits. Why they heard it? Most likely because you have all shared minds, shared Ideya, in this world."

"And…that means what, exactly?" This was another thing he was confused about.

"Before…for people to share Ideya, meant that they were capable of linking concepts of thoughts on an instinctual level. They were of the same thought, same reason. Unison would be born, and from there, further Comprehension. These unisons were usually brief though, and rare too. But when people with similar backgrounds unified, when they held to the same freedom of thought and desire, the connection lasted much longer, and went, far deeper. You and the little one, Astoria, have such a connection."

"Things…seem brighter now…" he spoke softly.

"Her personality is beginning to augment yours, a natural effect of an adaptationally based mind. Parts of her existence, that can help you survive, that make life suck a little less, are going to filter in, and meld with your own. You might even discover a few thoughts, feelings, and impulses that aren't originally yours."

"We can already tell…when the other is…around. Here, at least."

Mikoto nodded. "That's part of the unison. You've done it twice now. You two have a near unbreakable connection between your very beings at this point, and should a third time happen, it _will _be unbreakable. Not even **death **will be able to separate you two. You will know everything about one another, not a single secret will remain between you two. And regardless of how close your city is to this world, it _will _begin to manifest there."

"Alright…don't tell me anymore about that…I don't wanna ruin a possibly good thing by coming up with too many negatives." Mikoto pat his arm gently.

"There was something though…what _IS _the Lord of Dreams, really?"

Mikoto paused for a moment, trying to think of a way to put things.

"The Lord of Dreams is the Ruler of this world. The continued existence of the Lord of Dreams is what unifies the chaotic essence that is this Dream World. It was the Lord of Dreams that created the formless void into solid lands, using the wills and memories of multiple humans, wielding their Ideya freely as they dreamed, to form the realms you know of. Further Lords and Ladies would augment the lands until they became what you know today. And since then, they've been unchanged, because really, why bother changing what works already?"

"So the Lord of Dreams is like The One then?"

"…hmm…yes and no. Yes, because like The One, the Lord can bend this reality in whatever way they wish, but unlike The One, there is no pre-defined limit. With The One, the Matrix could only handle so much of a strain, before the program itself began to reject certain changes. With Here, since this world is _meant _to be Chaotic, the Lord of Dreams has no limit. Hmm…" She thought harder.

"Think of it like this. The One would be able to both find a needle in a haystack, with little effort, or just turn a strand _into _a needle…ahh no, I can do better than that. The One would be able to _find _a needle in an Anti-Needle room. The Lord of Dreams would _turn the room into a needle._"

"So…you're saying that to compare the two, The One can make the impossible, possible…while the Lord of Dreams doesn't makeanything _possible_, he just _does _things?"

"That's as close as we're going to get it. To make the comparison a little clearer, let's take a dreamer, and match them with the Lord. So we can keep the worlds the same."

"Yeah, that might help." Seth agreed.

"A dreamer would be able to manifest whatever already existed within the Dream World's 'memory'. Even nonsensical things. The Lord of Dreams would be able to manifest something that _doesn't exist._"

"Wait…so a dreamer…would be able to create say…the Infel Phira. While the Lord would…be able to make a walking pizza that shat donuts and roared coffee?"

"Yes." She stated plainly.

"So a dreamer could change the rules, but the Lord of Dreams screws them." He said.

"Screw the rules, I have green hair."

"Huh."

"The thing is though…the Lord of Dreams isn't just a title, unlike The One. The Lord of Dreams is an existence. A being that has ascended beyond mortal or even immortal coil. It is a being of concept, a timeless form that comprehends all. The Lord of Dreams _has _no limitations, of any sort. All of them are _broken_ because it _knows_ they are. It goes beyond _belief_ and into sheer _knowledge_. It's like this, a dreamer would be able to fly, or run at high speeds, by thinking 'I want to go to there.' The Lord of Dreams can do that, or it can simply _be _there, by going 'screw you, I'm over there now.' And then they _will _be. Rather than taking something that _could _happen, and making it happen, they've already _made _it happen." She explained further.

"Look down, back up, where are you, you're on a boat with the man your man could smell like?"

Mikoto giggled. "Exactly!"

"Alright…last thing I wanted to know…well not really but the last thing I can consciously _think _of. Who, _are _you?"

Mikoto smiled, puffing herself up proudly.

"I am Mikoto Shinzaki, daughter of Zero Shinzaki, the Lord of Dreams for the last few incarnations. I was created as a manifestation of the will and consciousness of this world, merged with slight traces of his mental, physical, and spiritual existence, to be a contact point between him and the World. I am a guide, the speaker for the World, as well as the Administrator and final Guardian of this Tower. I am, in essence, a being _stronger_ than the Lord of Dreams, but I cannot easily access that power unless the World itself is on the brink, and the Lord is not enough."

Seth blinked. _Holy shit._

"…but most of all…I'm just a girl…who's happy to have her Daddy back…even if he's not yet the Lord of Dreams."

* * *

><p>"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"<p>

Sitting surrounded by friends, her sister her mother and grandparents, was Astoria. The girl was wearing one of the childishly goofy cardboard party hats, covered in streamers and confetti dropping from the ceiling. Colorful balloons decorated the house, as a banner dictating her fourteenth year rest above the archway into the living room. Smiling brightly, the girl was surrounded by presents, tearing open the multiple wrappers and giving tight joy filled hugs to the gift-bearers.

Her grandparents were happy to see the girl smiling and safe, after hearing she had been kidnapped and subsequently rescued. Her friends felt the same, while Claris and Katrina were merely happy to have their family still together. There was only one thing missing, in the girl's mind, but she paid it little heed. She was simply happy to be surrounded by people she cared about.

"Well then, I think it's time to cut the ca-

**BING-BONG**

Everyone grew silent.

"…who could that be?" the grandfather, Marcus, asked.

"I…don't know. We didn't order anything…" Katrina spoke quietly.

Suddenly, the sound of the door being unlocked and opened could be heard. Muffled voices wafted in through the hallways, as wonder turned to concern.

"I wonder if they had the cake already."

"Is food all you can think about?"

"I play soccer all the time, what's your excuse for eating sweets like a pig?"

"Are you trying to say I'm _fat?_"

Two people appeared, Katrina, Claris, Elliot and Astoria gaping in surprise.

"Will! Helen!"

The two dreamers from Bellbridge had walked into the living room, bearing gifts. Astoria shot out of her seat, pulling the two into a crushing double-hug.

"Happy Birthday, Astoria!" Helen smiled brightly, pushing aside the previous conversation.

"Yeah, what she said."

Astoria smiled in return, but was confused.

"It's amazing to see you two here but…how did you get here? Bellbridge is like, a twelve hour flight!"

"Pfft, twelve hours?" A voice rang out. Astoria froze, as did Claris and Katrina. Elliot, who had come on his own behest, considering his past relationship with Claris, blinked in surprise. _Wait…no way._

"Silly bitch don't you know who the fuck I am?"

Her eyes widened as a familiar person walked through the archway.

"SETH!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, dashing past Will and Helen and leaping into his arms, just after he put down the two gifts he was holding.

He caught her easily, smirking widely.

"Oh my god you're here! But…but I never-

"Two words, Tori. _**Synchronicity Chain.**_"

Her eyes widened. "You mean-

He nodded, smiling slightly.

"How much?"

"Enough to know today was important. I popped over to Bellbridge and picked those two up for yeh."

"I love you."

Seth just smiled wider. "I know. But I didn't just bring bodies. We have stuff. _STUFF_."

"And stuff is awesome." The girl said.

"Off course."

After introducing Will and Helen to the group, cover being that they all met while the two blondes were on vacation, and introducing Seth as the one who saved her, to which he got a tight hug from her grandmother, a pat on the back from her grandfather, and a _bonecrushing _hug from Amanda, who was still feeling horribly guilty, presents were shown.

"This is from me and Will. We pooled together our cash." Helen said, as Will forked over the goods. Astoria's eyes widened, it was the latest album of her favorite band.

"You guys ROCK!" She was beyond happy.

"Huh…well I dunno if I can top that…" Seth said, pretending to look uncertain. Astoria could read him like a book though and simply held out her hand.

"Bah…cheater. Know what I'm thinking…" he muttered, handing her the bigger, narrower package.

She undid the wrapping and blinked confused. It was a box that resembled one you'd put a pair of pants, or a shirt in.

"That, is from Mikoto."

Astoria's head snapped up to him, while the other Dreamers, and Katrina, stared in surprise. The Sinclair Matriarch had been informed of the Child's existence. Astoria lifted the top of the cardboard box, before her face seemed to pale, eyes widening.

"This…this is…"

She lifted out a small, black denim vest-jacket. Much like the ones Seth usually sported. She turned it around, and saw a different design than his own on it.

"She crafted it herself. The symbol on the back is _her_ personal glyph. She said, and I quote: 'Daddy always knew how to pick his girls. Anyone who has done for Daddy what Astoria has, is worthy of wearing my Crest.'"

The symbol on the back, was that of a seven pointed star, encased in a ring of unusual almost rune-like markings. At the 'open' spaces at the north-west, north-east, east, west, south-west and south-east were sword-shaped markings, tips pointed outward, as if they were wings spread wide. Within the center of the symbol, was the shape of a seventh, bigger sword, tip pointed south.

"The rune looking things are how individual letters are represented when 'writing' and I use that word loosely; hymmnos. It reads 'Child of Light' which is apparently Mikoto's designation. Don't ask what that means cause hell if I know." He said. _Actually I have a vague idea considering what she told me…but come on, __**that **__being the case?_

Slowly, almost emotionlessly, like a robot, the girl slid her arms through and put the jacket on. She held it to her, tightly, looking up at him, eyes still slightly blank. To everyone who _wasn't _there, when he helped her face her inner demons, when he helped her come to terms with her ordeal…she looked odd, out of place.

"And this…" He gently tossed a much smaller, much narrower package, to which she caught deftly, still looking…empty. "is from me."

She opened it.

Inside, on a sparkling silver chain, was a pendant. She gently lifted it out, holding it up for all to see.

The pendant itself, was a small dragon inside a ring of grey metal. The dragon's wings were stretched wide open, reaching out past the ring. Six small jewels lined its head, representing its eyes, each eye a different color. Red, yellow, green, blue, black and white. The dragon itself was dark grey, and between its claws, it held a small crystal orb, one, that when held to the light, shimmered like a prism.

She stared at him. She _knew _what it meant. The dragon represented him, the seven jewels represented the seven Ideya, the ring was the worlds they lived in. And the chain that would bind it to her neck, was the connection between them.

A little nervous, a little uncertain, considering the girl was just staring at him, blankly, and for _once_ he **couldn't **see which Ideya she was favoring, Seth began to ramble.

"I crafted that myself. It was a bitch getting the shape and everything right, and making it small enough to be wearable but defined enough to not look like a mess. And did I tell you I suck at arts and crafts? I mean gimme some lego and I can make…a thing, usually a ship or something but-

"Seth." She said softly, cutting him off. The room was silent, her voice carried through the house, the quiet, but firm tone.

"Put it on me?"

Seth nodded, gently taking the pendant from her. She lifted her hair up, and he slipped the 'bloody annoying to make cause they suck ass and no way did I want to make that stupid contraption' clasp into itself. She dropped her hair, pausing for a second.

And then she whirled around at an _impossible _speed, faster than anyone had _ever _seen _anyone _move, grabbed the back of his head and slammed her lips on his.

Just like before, just like with the Elder Horde, Astoria seemed to be trying to merge her face into Seth's. Though it wasn't Nightopia, the entire gathered group could _still _feel the amount of **love** coming off of the girl. There was simply no doubt about it. Surprised, again, by the _second _kiss she gave him, Seth simply held her gently until she was done, letting the girl do as she pleased. Really now, what was he supposed to do in that situation? The first time, he could do nothing because he was barely even conscious of his surroundings. Now, he was, but really he knows how emotions work. You simply don't shove away someone in that situation. For one, it sends the entirely wrong message to them, and could quite possibly irrevocably ruin your relationship, no matter what it was.

She slowly pulled away, before simply hugging him, _very _tightly.

"Thank you…thank you so much…for everything…" She whispered.

Seth sighed. "Really, Tori. I'm dating your sister. Was that _truly _necessary?" he spoke, teasingly.

"No." She stated plainly. "But it's my birthday so I don't care."

Seth snorted, shaking his head but still holding the girl. "Nice excuse. You know that's not going to hold for _everything _right?"

"Maybe. But she screws up. I get you."

Seth blinked, while Claris facepalmed. "Wait what?"

"Mmhmm." She intoned. "She keeps you until she messes up. If, and I mean _if _she does, you're mine."

"…don't I get a choice in this?"

"**No."** Both Sinclair girls spoke at the same time, surprising the group. Katrina, however, just gave a snort and a chuckle.

"How do you know it's you or her? Someone else could come along y'know." Seth pushed.

"Maybe, but you'd have to be free for you to go after them. Don't think I don't know how you work. You're too loyal, too loving, to hurt someone like that unless they caused you enough pain first. And you take _a lot _of shit." Astoria said, not once looking up, arms still firmly around his stomach, holding herself to him.

"You forget, I've been in your head twice. She's been in it once. I have the advantage, but she has your heart, for now. She messes up, I know exactly how to catch your attention."

"…and if she doesn't mess up? Tori I don't want-

"Shh!" He was silenced.

"Seth…you've done too much for me. You've ruined other men for me. Hell you've ruined other _women _for me." Here, some of her friends blushed slightly. They were still kids! They couldn't be thinking about _that!_

Could they…?

"I don't want anyone but you. I never will. And even if I can't have you myself, we promised, remember? I'll always be by your side. No matter what." She finally looked up at him. Seth saw the conviction in her eyes, saw the shimmer of black, red, and blue around her. She truly _did _want him. She had the balls to stick to her desires. And she _knew _that's what she wanted. He sighed.

"_Daddy always did inspire loyalty around him. People would join his cause, join his side, because he sought to understand them, and bring unity through comprehension. Mistakes were shown and learned from, betrayal was punished befitting the crime. But more often than not, when people gave him their loyalty, they would stay that way for life. And usually, anyone who truly fell in __**love **__with him…stayed for eternity."_

"Gonna be a pest my entire life huh?"

"Damn right." She knew what he meant.

"Fine…despite the tactics I could employ to escape the situation…I accept." She smiled at him.

"What…is going on here?" the grand-mother, Sherry, finally inquired.

"Oh, just the result of a madman bringing Astoria and I into his plot of insanity."

"…I'm going to need a little bit more than that dear." Was the response.

Seth sighed, looking at Claris, knowing Astoria didn't care either way.

"Show or tell?"

"Wait…all of them?" Claris asked, surprised.

"The more aware can better defend." Seth spoke sagely.

"Won't that…strain you?" She asked, concerned.

"pfft, yeah _now _you take that into account." She sighed. "Takin the piss Claris. I'll be fine. The seventh came with a right little boost. Crossing between is _nowhere _near as draining as it used to be. And if it somehow _is _more draining than before, I'm sure your moover'll make me crash here. Again."

"Damn right I will." Katrina piped up.

"Oh goodie, you can sleep with me then." Astoria said casually.

"Um, excuse me? No. Uh-uh. He's sleeping with _me._ Y'know, his _girlfriend._"

"Your room's too bright. The sun'll wake him up too soon." Astoria countered.

"_Your _bed's too small! He'd fall right off!" Claris reversed.

"Or I could, I dunno, take the couch, like a sensible person." Seth interjected, trying to be the voice of reason, and show to everyone who didn't know the odd circumstances surrounding their relationship that he _wasn't _a massive pervert.

"**HELL NO!**" the two yelled in unison.

"Right…shutting up then."

"We could put the beds together then." Astoria said. Claris shook her head.

"no that won't work. Mine is higher up than yours."

"Well, you two could take _my _bed, and I could sleep in one of yours." Katrina pointed out, always up for teasing the hell out of someone.

The two girls looked at their mother. _Everyone _looked at Katrina. She simply responded with a coy smirk. Claris and Astoria looked away, to each other.

"That could work." Claris said.

"Her bed _is _big enough for all three of us, with a fair bit of wiggle room."

"Wiggle room? Just what are you planning on doing?"

"Hey, I have to shift around to get comfortable! You two may be able to conk out like a rock on any surface but I have to find the sweet spot!"

"Y'know nobody answered my question." Seth pointed out from the couch.

"Show!" Six voices spoke at once.

"Right…show it is." Seth said, reluctantly, but understanding.

* * *

><p>The Gate of Dreams. The group landed there first, where Nights was waiting. Introductions, explanations, descriptions…information had been given, demonstrations of the world and its rules. The story had been told countless times, yet to new audiences each time, with more and more adding to it.<p>

Spring Valley. To show them the beauty of the stage they acted upon, the world that the Dreamers had protected. While they spoke, Seth thought over an important choice, he had to make soon.

"_Nights…what's your take on it?"_

"_Nights is, first and foremost, a Nightmaren. Created by Wiseman specifically to drain Ideya from dreamers. One of twin makes, his two most powerful warriors. It doesn't make any sort of sense __**why **__Nights would suddenly up and leave. It only makes sense why Wiseman didn't simply kill Nights for its betrayal, is if your theory of him using active Nightmaren as power sources. If that's the case, then that may be why he keeps coming back."_

"_Reala gets wiped, the others get wiped, but Nights remains. So Nights could basically be a Hocrux then."_

"_Yes. But that's only assuming your theory is correct. I doubt Wiseman is the type to talk freely about his unknown weaknesses. However, I can say I do believe your theory to be right."_

"_Why's that?"_

"_Because the Lord of Nightmares is an inferior prototype of the Lord of Dreams. The Tower was made after a few generations of Lords overextended themselves and died from it. The Tower is a regulator system, keeping a constant flow of energy back and forth between the Lord and the Dream. The Lord of Nightmares, however, isn't connected to the Tower."_

"_And that's why he would have to drain Ideya, to increase his own strength, and keep himself alive."_

"_In a sense. The Nightmare supplies its Ruler with power, but the Nightmare is only half of the world. Even if the Nightmare were to take over completely, it would still only be negativity. Too few people see the positivity in a Nightmare, let alone a bad dream, so the Lord of Nightmares would __**remain **__inferior. Anything the Nightmare Lord creates, would be tied directly to him. Which would explain why he only has two, Nights and Reala. The others are weaker, baser, more animal-like. They don't require as much thought, or energy."_

"_And since he's got a limit of how much he can push before he wipes himself, he anchors himself to the two First Levels, just in case. Only Nights went rogue for some reason…but still serves the second purpose of Anchor…"_

"_That sounds about right."_

"…_what should I do Mikoto? Nights is their friend…a source of information…"_

"_Let it be known that I am a greater source of information than Nights will ever be, except on the __**original **__actions and motives of Wiseman. Anything about the world that Nights knows, I know, better. As for friend…I know what friendship feels like, I know what family feels like. But if Nights' continued existence constantly threatens this world…"_

"…_I'd have to choose between keeping the people I love safe…or keeping their friend alive."_

"_If you could do both, that'd be great. After all, we __**could **__be wrong on this."_

"_But…my theories usually end up right."_

"_Yeah…Clotho likes doing that to you."_

"_Dammit…"_

Seth snapped out of his thoughts, noting that conversation had turned more relaxed.

"Alright. We've done what we needed to do. Let's get back to the gate and head out of here before Wiseman shows up."

As one, the group rose, but then stopped. Seth noticed Astoria staring in surprise at something behind him, before her eyes seemed to harden. Nights grew tense, the group that came to Nightopia for the first time, stepped back slowly. He noticed Katrina's stronger grip on Amanda's shoulders.

Seth sighed.

"Let me guess. Wiseman's behind me."

"You would presume correct."

_Well…isn't this a twist of Fate. What are you up to Clotho?_

Seth turned around. Indeed, Wiseman, accompanied by Reala, was floating not to far from the Cliffside.

"Right. Wiseman. Lord of Nightmares. If you don't mind, I have a few questions, I would like to ask you." Seth spoke, surprising everyone, Wiseman included, with the respectful tone he used.

"And why would I bother answering them?"

"Well I figure you're going to wipe us here anyway. I mean, Key aside, I _still _can't really _fight _you. I mean shit I don't even know if I can fly without holding the damn thing." _Truth. I never did get to practice without it again yet._

"So the way _I _see it, is we're screwed. So why not send us off with a bit of information, so we can ponder our last moments of failure?"

Wiseman gave a small chuckle. Oh the boy was good with his words.

"Very well. Since you are indeed, as you so aptly put it: screwed, I shall abide your questions."

"I thank you." Seth spoke, with a nod.

"My first question is more of a request for confirmation of a belief I hold. You knew when we came here, didn't you? There was some sort of disturbance, wasn't there?"

"Indeed. I have always been able to detect your personal arrival to these lands, though admittedly, my sensory range within Nightopia is far weaker than I prefer. This is a weakness I have long since known of and all who have dared to combat me, have known of. It is no secret, thus I see no problem in speaking of it. However, this world holds many such distortions as dreamers send their echoes through the lands. Pinpointing you was pointless, for your distortions felt very similar to ones that usually occur."

Seth nodded.

"However when you performed your little trick to tear through the layers taking you from Stick Canyon to Mystic Forest, Reala had detected that movement, noting the strangeness of the pattern, as well as the size of the distortion. I must say, it was luck, that led him to you, for had he picked the lower layer, he'd not have had the chance to give me the information I sought. This day, however, I was actively seeking your arrival, and as you came with such a large group, it was nearly impossible for me to miss."

"I thought so." He said, giving a pointed look to Claris, whom flushed slightly, knowing what Seth's gaze was implying. "Ok, just one more question." Seth said. "I noticed the crystal, on Nights' chest. Reala doesn't have one. Now, originally when I first saw Nights and mentally compared the two, I figured it was a style thing. But then…"

He closed his eyes.

_Whatever comes…will come. I will do everything I can…to protect this world. My home…_

_And them…_

With those thoughts, his body began to flare a twisting, writhing black and red. And as he intended, the gem on Nights' chest began to shimmer. Unseen by any, for his face was completely devoid of any shape, unknown to any except possibly Reala, of his reactions. Wiseman twitched. The eyes on his palms widened slightly, everyone else distracted by the glow around Seth. Those whom had seen it before, were wondering how he was doing that, was it now on command? Or was there something more?

Seth opened his eyes, turning his head to see the shimmer coming off of Nights' chest.

"That happens. Care to explain why?"

_That reaction…what…?_

"It is a device I gave to Nights, whom was the weaker of the two I created." Wiseman spoke, casually. "It detects and assists in seeking as well as obtaining powerful Ideya from you dreamers."

_Bullshit. Nights said it first, it can visibly see Ideya already. It wouldn't need that damn gem to find them…_

"Oh. Alright then. Hmm…guess it doesn't matter…" He trailed off.

_Now or never. I make my choice._

…_I'm sorry, guys._

"What, doesn't matter?" Wiseman asked, a bit interested in the boy.

"Oh…I figured it wouldn't matter if say…"

**PLIP**

To everyone's astonishment, Seth suddenly vanished, a soft vibration of the air around where he once stood being the only sign of movement. Just as quickly, he returned, arms pulled back, Izanami in hand, held by the shaft. Before anyone could even register his return, he was swinging, spiked portion of the cross slamming into Nights' chest heavily, sending the floating Nightmaren backwards.

"_that _happened." Seth said. _I would rather be hated by those I loved…_

_Then let them die because of something I could have prevented._

Nights recovered, regaining its aerial balance. "Gah! What…What was tha-

A pulse ripped through its body, sentence cut off. Nights shivered heavily, before looking down.

**CRACK**

The crystal splintered. Nights gasped. A shaft of light began seeping through the crack, accompanied by a second, and then a third. Nights' body began to shake violently. Its violet eyes were wide with shock, looking down at its hands, its arms, as small golden jagged lines began tracing themselves. Its very form was slowly splintering, shafts of prismatic light coming from the gashes. It suddenly flinched, clutching its chest, buckling over, as more shafts of light erupted from its back.

And finally, with an agonized scream.

Nights _exploded._

Everyone shielded their eyes from the glare of the blast, the sound of the Nightmaren's cries echoing through their skulls.

The light faded.

Sparkling fragments of light drifted around.

Nights…

Was gone.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** this is short for a reason. You'll find out that reason.

Nights is gone. Dead. Destroyed. Seth had his reasons, as you know. Seth had his theories, as you know.

What happens next, now that Nights is gone?

You'll just have to find out, won't you?

**D&S Master: **You're a liiiitle off on that belief there. There were hints of silver throughout the story so far, involving multiple characters and situations. The Witch, much like the rest of the Nightmaren (Old Ones included) saw what was within Seth's heart at the time she encountered him. Everything was gone, because his mind had basically fragmented, except a small trace of comprehension. That existed because even in a shattered state, he _understood_ why he was like that. Subconsciously. Also, he has the Izanami, he has Seven Ideya.

But Seth is _not yet_ the Lord of Dreams.

**ZX:** Sound? What sound?

**Archsage328: **hehehahahahAHAAAAHAHAHAHA! I am _**not **_sorry to inform you that **WILL **be the last thing **"Nights" **ever does. Hehahahaha! Oh, oh but keep reading. It's not over yet. This is just reaching the _good _parts!

**Smileyfox5150:** Daddy's home. Or at least, who she says Daddy is. She's been looking for him, specifically, but really, she was calling for someone to take up the mantle of Lord of Dreams. Something not even Seth has done yet. Wiseman is still a problem, and as long as he exists, a new Lord or Lady, cannot be made.

**Bug349: **keep going! Push through it! If Seth can do it so can you!

_**Preivew…**_

"Nights…? There _**IS **_no **NiGHTS!**"


	13. There is no NiGHTS

Tiny sparkling lights still fluttered around in the space that Nights once occupied. Silence reigned, even the wind seemed to stop blowing. Everyone stared at the spot that Wiseman's creation was floating just moments prior. Seth hadn't moved an inch.

…_I just killed someone. A living creature, one that thinks just like a human…one that looks, acts and moved, just like a human. I essentially just killed another person. It's one thing to kill something that looks like an animal. Dragons…demon-cats…giant fish… but to kill something so damn __**human**__…shit…_

_I have to focus. I've got a choice…I __**had **__a choice…and I made it. I chose them…over their friend._

_Oh hell this is gonna just __**ruin **__my relationship with Claris innit?_

"…do…you…have **any **idea…what you have just _done_?" Wiseman uttered out, still in complete shock.

"…a few." Seth replied.

Now all eyes were on him. Getting the feeling he was being watched, he relaxed his stance, choosing not to look anywhere but straight ahead.

"…WELL?" Wiseman roared.

"Well _what_?"

"You claim to have an idea yet you do not speak?"

"Oh is that it? Should have said something then."

"WHAT DID YOU-

"All you asked, Wiseman, was if I had any idea what I did. And I answered. That line of questioning, ended _there_." _I'm soooo stalling. For what, I dunno but shit, keep him on his toes and maybe I'll get out of this to actually regret what I've done._

_Maybe._

"I had a theory." _Well technically now he's asked about it._ "You kept coming back, no matter what the others did. I knew you were bullshitting me about the crystal on Nights' chest. No way something like a First Level would be so weak you had to boost it. I figured, perhaps Nights was one of the keys to you constantly returning. Every one of your creations were wiped both times, _except _Nights. So I figured, hell, maybe Nights is some sort of spiritual Anchor. As long as Nights exists, then even when you're destroyed, you can simply come back. I had no proof if my theory was right or wrong, only knowledge that Nights was one of your creations and...that…."

He slowed, blinking rapidly. _…is that…__**supposed**__ to happen?_

"…and that I'm pretty sure stuff left behind after an explosion _doesn't _start spinning around on its own." He said suddenly, sounding confused.

"What are you-

Seth just pointed forward, cutting Wiseman off.

Where the strange, glittery substance was indeed, spiraling around, violently. Everyone stared as ripples of air seemed to echo off it, much like what happens when Seth pops from place to place. Wavy, ring-like distortions wafted through the skies as the glittery shimmers began to gather at one point, becoming a bright light. For a brief moment, the world seemed to invert its colors, before with a strange **PLUNK**, the ripples all reversed, slamming into the light as a glowing shape was sent rocketing towards the group of humans.

"SHIT!"

An array of prismatic light erupted from Seth's back, the boy clutching the Izanami tightly, angling himself as if pushing off a wall, before he vanished in his customary ripple. The pale golden glowing shape continued its path to the group, before Seth re-emerged from the shift in front of it, arms out where the glow slammed into him heavily. His wings vanished as his conscious connection to the Izanami was broken in order to catch the unknown object, which sent him backwards. The glow began to fade, pressure on his form doing the same, and as he gently coasted to the ground, still backward mind you, the glow began to fragment off, slowly.

And to _everyone's _surprise, in his arms…

Was a girl.

* * *

><p>A bob of black hair suddenly snapped up.<p>

Twin violet eyes blinked rapidly, a head tilting in confusion and surprise.

"Huh…so _that's _where she went…"

* * *

><p><em>What <em>_**is **__it with me and saving naked girls this year? First Astoria, now this one._

The girl was small, appearing to be around Claris' height. She stirred slightly, in Seth's arms, as he looked her over.

_Hi there thunder-thighs. Geez for such a small frame girl's got serious hips goin on…_

Hair so blonde it almost shimmered silver in the light, the girl's cream colored eyelids slowly opened as she began to wake. The first thing she saw was the face of Seth, not far from her. She blinked rapidly, shooting up but clutching her head almost immediately after, groaning.

"Bad idea…" a soft voice uttered from her lips.

And then suddenly as if a switch were flicked, the girl's eyes shot open wide. She clutched her head, pulling at her hair, holding a few strands in front of her face. She seemed to stare at the strands, and then her own hands, in shock and awe. She reached down, touching herself, causing Seth to look up, away from the girl and her bare chest.

"Seth, what color are my eyes?" The girl suddenly asked of him.

Blinking in surprise, wondering how she knew his name, he looked at her face. "Blue. Very blue. Just off of ocean blue."

She smiled.

And surprised everyone further by grabbing his head and pulling an Astoria.

"…what. The. _**FUCK.**_" Claris spoke, completely and utterly in shock.

"Hmm…the girl's got good taste, whoever she is." Astoria mused, _loving _what was going on.

"First…he kills Nights. And _now _some _**OTHER **_girl is making out with him. Why is **everyone **kissing my boyfriend but _me?_"

"Maybe you shouldn't be taking so long to do it then, honey." Katrina quipped, not understanding a damn thing, only registering that a moment had appeared where she could tease Claris, and took it.

"My middle finger. Imagine it." Claris growled out, as the other girl pulled away from Seth before clinging to him in a tight hug.

"Thank you! Thank you thank you thank you THANK YOU!"

"I…you…'re…wel…come?" Seth questioned, extremely confused. _Error. Error. Current process corrupted. Comprehensive ability compromised. Evacuate. Evacuate._

She just smiled wider. "I'm _me _again…"

"Impossible…how can this be?"

The girl stiffened. The group jumped, forgetting Wiseman was there. Reala was simply floating at his side, confused as to why the girl seemed so _familiar_.

"Oh…you're still here?" The girl said. "I would have thought you'd turn tail and run, since I'm _back_ now." She slowly stood, Seth rising with her. Her head was bowed, body facing the group.

"Hmph…my boobs are bigger…" Claris absently muttered. Of course, Astoria still heard it.

"But only just. I gotta say she's got a _nice _body…" Claris flushed at her sister's statements and silently fumed.

"To think…my greatest creation would fail so horribly."

The girl snorted. "Greatest creation? Please. The bigger Captures were much better than that stupid prototype. Don't think I don't remember what you did to me. I remember _everything._ All these years, locked away in a corner of my own mind, stuck as your puppet, your slave. And I couldn't do _anything _about it." She looked up, eyes hard. Seth saw the glare in her eyes and knew, this too, was a girl that had been through hell.

And then they seemed to soften.

Her hand gently reached out and held Seth's cheek.

"And then he came…and freed me. You had the perfect little tool, up until you had me absorb one Ideya too many. And I learned, I learned of humanity, I learned of hardship, I learned of love, and hate…and while I couldn't remember, I started to understand. All I knew was that you were my creator, but what you were doing, what **I **was doing, was wrong. But you made an even bigger mistake than sending him after me. You didn't _kill _me when you had the chance. You wanted to _keep _your little toy, wanted to bring me back under your control, but it wouldn't work."

She smiled softly at Seth, reaching down and grasping his hand.

"But this one…he never came here. He never made it to our world properly. The will of the World itself kept pulling at him. This one…who had a base Comprehension, much brighter than anyone else's, he saw the pattern in events, he puzzled things out. Hell he damn near attacked me when he thought I was Reala…his love and loyalty for Astoria was incredible…and every time he, or they would do something I could feel your grip on me getting weaker and weaker. There was too much, that stupid crystal couldn't hold out being around such _pure _emotions, such powerful Ideya."

She squeezed Seth's hand. Seth's eyes began to widen as he realized _who _was in front of him. "Wait…you're-

"I have to say Seth…your theory was spot on. But…there's something you don't know. Something nobody knew. But I'll tell you all later. I don't blame you for anything. You did what you felt you needed to do, and I can fully understand that. And I'm glad you did. Because if you didn't…there'd always be that chance I'd fall under his control again." A soft series of lights began to waft off of the girl, hair fluttering of its own accord.

"You…were…_are…_a-

The girl smiled and nodded. "I'm a Dreamer, just like you. I always was. And I always _will _be." A small flare of light, and the glows became orbs. Ideya.

"But for now…there's something I have to do. Something I've been waiting hundreds of years for." A seventh weak glow began to form in front of her as she stepped away from Seth, letting his hand go.

"Ahh, but do you mind if I borrow your jacket? It's kinda chilly." She smiled at him. He blinked, getting _very _good at ignoring topless or naked girls around him. _My life is an ero novel. Wonderful._

She slipped the vest on, zipping it up as the seventh, grey glow became lighter around her.

"Mmm…warmth. Thanks. I'll give it back when I'm done."

"Done what, exactly?" Wiseman asked, still in disbelief.

"What, you ask? Oh not much, just getting _revenge_." The glow flared around her, becoming a silver orb.

Astoria's eyes widened in pure shock. _She…she has…_

"Comprehension…" Seth spoke softly.

"How does it feel, Wiseman?" The girl slowly began walking forward, seven glowing orbs surrounding her. "How does it feel to have your world torn to shreds around you? To know that your greatest achievement is now _ruined_, because of your own arrogance?"

"Ruined? **RUINED?** You _STUPID _girl! You think just because I've lost ONE Nightmaren, I've been defeated? I am immortal! I am **ETERNAL!** I need not you nor any but myself! I shall **SILENCE **you as I should have _**LONG **_AGO!" A massive ball of flame formed between all six of his hands. The sphere of fire ripped from before Wiseman and launched itself towards the girl.

She just smirked.

Seth leaned forward, ready to pop over, grab the girl and pop back, but he found himself frozen. _…I can't move. Why can't I move? I'm not __**scared**__. I mean shit I wasn't exactly __**afraid **__even when those mouse-rockets were coming at me! So why the __**FUCK **__can't I move?_

"Because I don't want you to." The girl said. Seth's eyes widened, she just turned her head and smiled. The ball of fire grew closer, and was a split second from impacting her form, before she reached out and _**backhanded **_it away.

_She still…has all of her power?_

"Did…did she just..." one of Astoria's friends muttered.

"Yes. I did." The girl turned around and pat Seth on the cheek. "Keep your eyes open Seth." She smirked. "You might just learn something."

And then she vanished. No ripple, no distortion, no hint of movement.

Simply there one second, and gone the next.

…_what._

* * *

><p><strong>BOOM<strong>

A massive shockwave erupted from Wiseman. A growl of pain.

The girl, had _punched _him.

_Wait. Doesn't he have a friggin A.T. Field?_

Seth's thoughts were answered by the girl pulling back her hand, a halo of light around it, before throwing it forward. A blast of shine and Wiseman was _literally_ thrown backwards. The girl laughed out loud.

"I've been waiting **CENTURIES **to do that again!" she yelled in joy.

From behind her, Reala flew up, intent on taking her down and capturing her. For his efforts, he was met by an elbow to the face. The Persona Mask he wore cracked from the strike, before the girl whirled around, leg rising and connecting with the side of his head, sending him away.

"Oh I'm sorry, your head was in the way of my leg. I _do _hope you're alright." Reala righted himself, shaking off the surprise and pain. _This girl…she seems so familiar…like I know her._

"What are you doing Nights? Pretending to be human?"

"Nights? Oh silly Reala…such a fool. Don't you get it yet?" The girl quirked her eyebrows up, before shaking her head. "There _IS_ no **NiGHTS!**"

She vanished again, and Reala buckled over, the girl appearing with her fist buried in his gut. _I-impossible!_

She pulled back, before twirling once and slamming the back of her left heel into the _other _side of his head. Now his head was _ringing_. Reala crashed into the ground, world spinning around him. Dizzy, in pain, and irritated, the grey jester shook his head once more, before bending his knees and charging right at the girl, who simply floated there. He got in range, swinging his arm out, hand cupped like a claw, only for the girl to drop below his swing, surprising him, before she slammed a fist into his stomach _again_. Only this time, she followed with another fist, and then another. Rapidly she punched the Nightmaren higher and higher into the sky, before she flickered and vanished, and Reala was sent screaming towards the ground, as the girl had appeared above him, delivering a hammer-blow to his skull.

The girl shot down, multiple Ideya slamming into her, illuminating her with a powerful prismatic aura, much like Seth's own wings. In the blink of an eye, she'd slammed her leg into Reala's side, stopping his rapid descent and trading it for horizontal movement, where the girl pulled back her hand and then thrust it forward, a ball of pure light ripping from her palm and crashing into the Nightmaren like an explosive. A wall of scattered light fragments ripped through the air from the impact.

"Poor Reala, so _weak_. You were stronger before you gave yourself to him. But you two are idiots. You should have _killed _me when you could, and now, I'm back and better than ever!"

"Then I shall send you to the HELL you deserve!"

A crackling torrent of lightning ripped from the tips of Wiseman's thirty fingers. The girl just smirked and slashed her arm to the side, the gale impacting upon a transparent sphere of defense. Though immense force _must _have been behind the Lord of Nightmare's attack, the girl didn't move an inch, even though she had nary an anchor.

"You couldn't beat me _then _Wiseman, how _stupid _do you have to be to think you can beat me **now**? **ESPECIALLY **after all the Ideya you had me absorb!" The girl screamed at him, wall of protection expanding, _capturing _the electric attack and sending it right back, something Wiseman's own barrier could not defend against. From out of nowhere, Reala appeared and swiped at her, the girl ducking again, as if instinctively, before lashing out with her foot, catching him square in the face, twirling around and catching him in the back of the head, Reala flying into one of the many floating windmills.

* * *

><p>"Holy shit…" Seth uttered. <em>…I'm completely outclassed. I don't know how she's doing <em>_**half **__this shit…_

"I hope you're taking notes." A voice said next to him.

"GAH!" He jumped and yelled in surprise. The girl was floating there, just like Nights would.

"Whatthefuck DON'T DO THAT!" He said, trying to calm his beating heart.

The girl giggled. "Sorry. But really, it's not that hard."

"When did you become Dragonball?"

"If you make an 'over nine-thousand' joke I'm going to kick you in the nuts." She said pointedly.

"Please don't. I think Claris might want those for future reference." The girl in question just sighed, facepalming.

"Oh yeah sure leave _me _out of that!" Astoria yelled.

"You don't count, you're too obvious about it!" Seth called back, to which Astoria simply stuck out her tongue.

"Feisty little thing isn't she?" The girl quipped.

"You have _no _idea." Seth muttered.

"I'm sure you do though. What with the merger and all." She said distractedly, as Reala began to rise.

"I'll be right back."

And she vanished again.

…_what the hell. Just…what the hell._

* * *

><p><strong>WHAM<strong>

Foot to face, once again. Reala was not having a good day. Whoever this girl was, she was an even more powerful dreamer than that boy was. She was able to fend off Wiseman's assault like it was child's play, able to knock _him _around like a rag-doll. Who _was _this girl? And why did she come from Nights' remains?

Reala tumbled away, unable to defend at all. He'd managed to deflect one of the girl's strange light orbs by way of miniature paraloop, but the girl had just done the same, and returned it. It looked like she wasn't even trying!

"Hmph…boring. I think its time to end this." She said. She vanished, appearing next to Seth once more.

"Hey, can I borrow something?"

"Ehh?" _what more does she want? She's already crushed my bloody confidence, __**and **__is wearing my jacket._ "Yeah…sure…what?"

She kissed him again.

"Oh GOD DAMMIT! Stop DOING THAT!" Claris yelled.

Suddenly Seth began to glow. A gentle blue overtook his form, gathering into a single, shimmering orb. The girl pulled away, gently. "You should feel honored. You're both my first, _and _second kiss."

"…what." Now he was even _more _confused.

The girl smirked, noticing the Ideya. "Ahh…there we go…" She reached out, grasping it in her hands. "Shh, it's ok, I'm not taking you from him. Just borrowing a liiittle piece."

"Wait…what are you doing?"

"Theeeere it is…" She gently pulled a hand away, her palm glowing the same blue as his Ideya slightly. "Just wanted to borrow a thought is all. If I tried to merge Ideya fully with you I'm sure I'd have Claris on my ass."

"DAMN RIGHT!"

"So I'm just skimming it." She continued, ignoring Claris for the moment. "It's a trick I picked up as Nights, rather than taking the whole thing, I came up with a way to just 'copy' a fragment. There we go." She let it go, the orb slowly returning to Seth.

"Hey, tell me if you recognize this?"

She vanished again, just as Reala stood up. And he was knocked back by a fist to his chest.

"Enjoy your death Reala!"

She held her right arm across her chest, where a shimmer of light appeared, preceding a small sword.

_Wait…isn't that the opening stance… for…_

She grasped it, before swinging diagonally, twirling on her foot, swinging horizontally, flipping the blade in hand and stabbing forward, and then ducking low, angling her back and kicking Reala in the chin, knocking him into the air. The sword dissipated in a flurry of sparkles, before the girl crouched down, and leapt into the air. The shimmering glow that was around her began to gather at her back, as Seth's eyes widened. Suddenly, the Izanami appeared in his hand.

_Wait, I didn't-_

It began to vibrate heavily, before vanishing once again.

An orb of light had slammed into Reala, binding him in place as three giant spears slammed into his body

To everyone's surprise, the staff appeared over the girl's outstretched arm, held high above her head. The Izanami shuddered, before the ring portion of the cross seemed to segment, angling backwards and then flaring out, like the tail of a bird. The shaft seemed to widen, gaining a more defined point like the head of a javelin.

"This is where it all ends! **Nibelung Valesti!**"

_WHAT?_

The girl slammed her hand forward, the now transformed Izanami rocketing forward and crashing into the collection of spears, before the entire thing exploded with light, the spears shattering and tearing at Reala's form. As the light cleared, Reala had dropped to the ground, dust clinging to him from the impact.

"Poo, that didn't wipe him like I thought it would. I must not be in tune with things right…"

Slowly, he began to sink into the ground, a portal to Nightmare opening up beneath him. Wiseman growled and vanished in his own distortion as well. The girl softly coasted back to the ground, Izanami in hand, back to its normal shape.

"Tch…and I wanted to kill the bastard…guess I'll have to wait…"

She turned back to the group. "Shall we get going? I'm pretty sure I have some explaining to do."

* * *

><p>After parting with the guests, Astoria being congratulated on having the most 'epic birthday party in the history of awesome' by many of her friends, the dreamer group, the elder Sinclairs, Seth and the strange girl were gathered in Claris and Astoria's living room. Seth was sitting on the couch, flanked by Astoria and Claris. Katrina and her own parents were sitting on smaller chairs brought in from the kitchen, while Will and Helen were sitting at Seth's feet.<p>

The girl had borrowed a pair of pants from Claris that barely fit. _"Not the first time I cursed my hips, and I doubt it'll be the last."_

"Alright, first and most important question: Who the hell are you?" Astoria said, getting a swat from her sister.

"And where it all begins." The girl nodded. "My name is Alicia. I, like you, was a Dreamer. Only I was a dreamer, _hundreds_ of years ago. Modern people call those days medieval times now. I, was a princess."

"Bullshit." Seth said, subconsciously. Alicia just smiled.

"Yeah I wouldn't believe me either. But I was. Back then I was…not the most _proper_ of girls. My older sister was better refined, but I was the better swordswoman so I didn't really care. We were a small kingdom, not much of an army really but our family was loved by the people. I won't…say I was completely watched, I wasn't neglected but at the same time my parents were a bit more focused on the 'proper' sister. But that gave me plenty of time to practice my sword so again, I didn't care."

They all sat captivated by her tale. She went on to explain how one night she found herself waking in a field of flowers. From there she came to realize she had somehow fallen into another world. As the nights passed, she explored that world, learning its rules, learning that she could change things, do things there, that she couldn't do when awake. And slowly she came to understand it. But one night, she tripped while at the Dream Gate, and fell into the Nightmare. There, she saw the darker side of Nightopia, yet the way she described it was nothing like how it appeared when the Dreamers went.

Everything was basically inverted. Where crisp blue waters flowed, the waters would be red. Places like Frozen Bell were barren deserts under morning skies, the light of the morning sun beating down. Soft Museum was a set of ruins, broken buildings, scattered houses, the ground completely static and unchanging, yet still retaining the general shape. The _true _nightmare, the one that the Old Ones came from, was merely an inversion of what the realms of Nightopia was.

Whatever was, in a Nightopian realm, was the opposite, in the Nightmare. Lush forest was a barren waste, the metal and rust colored desert of Stick Canyon was a marshland bog of mud and rain. The rolling grassy hills of Spring Valley was a heated flatland range of dead grass, weeds and animal bones. The air, she said, was constantly infected by these shuddering black particles, completely harmless, but existing as if to remind a traveler of where they were.

"It had its own beauty, to be honest. Life existed, though it was dark, twisted, more feral. There was far more danger, far more things that could kill a traveler, but it had its own sense of peace."

She went on to explain that, after a few months of this, she was approached by Wiseman. Wiseman had requested her to join him, much like he did with Seth, to which she denied him.

"At first, he backed off peacefully, but then he tried pushing it. After a while, he just tried to capture me on his own, but I beat him down."

Wiseman couldn't fathom her power, couldn't match her grace. She was too in tune with Nightopia, having awakened the Seventh Ideya within her, yet not fully able to utilize it. She was still, beyond him at that point.

"But then…one day, I fell off my horse while riding. It was a simple accident, but from what little I heard as I faded in and out of consciousness, the medics we had stated that it seemed like I'd broken something that couldn't easily be repaired."

She fell into a coma, and there, she was attacked. Yet it was not Wiseman, nor a Nightmaren of any sort.

It was another dreamer.

Wiseman had encountered another dreamer, just like her, just as powerful, recruited him, and sent him after her. The two fought, the girl barely keeping the upper hand, for while she was swift, he was powerful. His eyes were dark as night, hair brown as life filled dirt, skin as pale as fallen snow. He favored a two-handed blade while she stuck to the nimbler single hand, yet he nearly bested her. Their battle raged both between Nightopia and Nightmare, falling in and out of the two sister realms due to the levels of Ideya they were unleashing.

"Finally I struck him down. But I was tired, weakened. As I went to finish him off, he threw something at me. It was the crystal that was on my chest as Nights."

The crystal, was a prototype Ideya Capture. Immediately it latched onto her essence and began leeching her very existence.

"I felt myself…dying. Wiseman appeared and offered to save my life, if I served him. I wanted to say no…but in the end, I wished to survive more than I wished to be free. He filled me with his own power, sealing my consciousness away, and turning me into the purple jester you all knew."

"And the crystal on your chest was the key to your imprisonment." Seth spoke. Alicia nodded with a soft smile. She was very thankful towards the black haired potential Lord. There was no romantic attraction of any sort, but she finally understood why it was that Astoria was so taken with him.

"But how could you do all that? You were popping around like Eighteen there." Seth pushed.

"Over the centuries, as Wiseman had us gather and bring Ideya to him, what he didn't realize was that we, that is to say Nights and Reala, had to _absorb _some of that Ideya in order to transport it. We got excess energy infused into us as we moved back and forth. Because we were originally dreamers, we could easily move through the Dream, where the Second Levels were generally stuck in their own little pockets of Nightmare. As time passed, each Ideya we brought back added to my own existence. I saw peoples hopes, I saw their dreams, their fears, their hatred, their love…I saw life and death, pain and pleasure, care and callousness. And I started keeping some of their memories inside myself. As civilization changed and grew, so did my knowledge. It _had _to, to better acclimate myself into their dreams and nightmares to draw from them."

"So…you got even stronger." Astoria put it simply. Alicia nodded.

"Yes. As Nights, I learned how to wield what power I had, better. I learned how to 'skim' an Ideya, trace its concept back to the human it belonged to, and gather only specific thoughts on a subject. It left them feeling no different, and I gained more knowledge. But the real me was sealed away still, and as Nights, I had no idea of my true past. All I knew was that Wiseman had created Reala and I, and that I wanted nothing to do with him anymore. I'd sworn my revenge as Alicia, and I can't but wonder if that was an influential aspect of Nights rebelling."

"I guess that explains a lot then…" Elliot spoke.

"What do you mean?" Alicia asked.

"I always wondered why Wiseman didn't just kill you. Nights, I mean. When Nights rebelled. That's what all the bad-guys do." He continued.

"But even the bad guys know not to waste a precious resource." Seth cut in, looking at the blue-haired teen.

"Seth?" Claris pushed.

"It's the whole reason I struck Nights down. I had no idea it would turn into…well, _her_, in the slightest. I kept noticing that crystal blinking away, and that's usually the sign of 'MASSIVE WEAKPOINT.' I spoke with Mikoto a couple days ago, and we came up with a solid theory. Wiseman was using his Nightmaren as anchors to keep returning, and as long as _one _of them still existed, he'd have an easy way back. I was…hoping he wouldn't try to bullshit me but…he did."

"Why though? Why did you try to kill Nights?" Claris asked, a upset with him, but overall wanting to understand.

"Because I'd rather be hated by the people I love, then know they died and I could have done something to stop it."

"Claris." Alicia spoke up, seeing the girl's tears and confusion.

"He did what he had to do. He did what a _leader _had to do. He put the people he was protecting, the people he cared about, before his own well-being. He knew it would upset you, and probably end your relationship for good, but…that type of thing…is what my Father always told me about. _'There will come a time, when you are in a position to make a choice. And the choice you make will have far-reaching consequences. You may be forced to choose between the love of the ones you love, or their well-being. To secure their well-being may even entitle destroying their home, or slaying someone they care about. You must be ready to face what comes of a choice like that. Stand tall and without hesitation.'_"

"I didn't know anything for sure." Seth continued, after Alicia's speech. "But I had an instinct, I had a pattern to follow. If it did nothing except kill Nights, I'd lose damn near everything I've gained to this point. At the very least, I'd destroyed an asset that Wiseman could at some point come up with a method to re-claim. Unfortunately…well, Mikoto's very blunt at times. I guess she got it from…me and…my…other…selves?" He trailed off confused.

"Bah I dunno, anyway. Mikoto…she said it herself, and while blunt, made a valid point. She **is **the closest thing to the conceptual essence of Nightopia we'll ever encounter. She knows far more about that world, how it works, why it does what it does, how it can do more, than _anyone _else. Her point was clear, Nights wasn't anything more than your friend, and a possible credible threat. Nobody, not even Mikoto knows what Wiseman can or cannot do in terms of his creations, outside of the fact that anything _he _makes, will put a drain on him. He's not connected to the Dream, he's only connected to one half of it, and that isn't enough to sustain constant use. So her point was obvious."

Alicia nodded. "I, or rather, Nights, was a potential weakness to our little group. Even I can't say Wiseman wouldn't have been able to find some method to bring me back under his control. And then he would have had all the knowledge you've all shared with me. By removing me, as Nights, you erased a very possible reality of having something go wrong in our plans, because he pulled me back."

"At the very least, we were hoping that our original theory was right, and that Nights was his final back-up battery. With Nights gone, he not only would lose that restoration point, but also any chance of gaining information about us, from one of our own. On top of which, it would severely screw him over because he'd have lost a massive chunk of power that was locked within Nights from creating it. I didn't want to make that choice, I didn't want to even think about it…but I don't have…many people to cling to here, and I guess I'm a bit possessive when it comes to their safety. So between having everyone hate me, and keeping them alive…well…I've already had an entire city on my ass, what's a few more people?"

Astoria wrapped her arms around his stomach and buried her head in his chest. She didn't _fully _understand, not ever being in that sort of position herself, but hearing his words, and Alicia's as well, she got what was happening. He was hurting, even though in the end everything worked out, he'd hurt not just them, but himself as well, to keep them safe. Absently she pulled back and punched him in the chest.

"Stupid…bastard. Stop being so damn noble all the time." her muffled voice could be heard. Claris just stared at him. Really stared.

…_this is what it means to live a life like his…to be so distanced from human interaction that when he finally finds people to call his own…he clings to them like a lifeline. Could that have been me…if I didn't have Elliot when Dad died? To want to give up everything, but not feel like going about dying…until a twist of Fate and Luck brought me to people I could call my own? He's a constant rock in the storm for anyone who needs it…but who's his rock?_

_It…hurts…to know he'd be willing to sacrifice someone I cared for…if it meant I lived. It hurts like hell. But…he does it reluctantly. He's willing to do it, but he doesn't __**want **__to._

_Which means it's up to me…to make sure I'm never in a position like that again, as long as I can help it._

…_I need to train._

Slowly, Claris leaned over, putting her arm around Seth's neck. He looked at her, and for a split second, before the wall came up, something she noticed Astoria stiffen at, she saw the pure _chaos _in his eyes, reflecting the constant raging insanity in his head, magnified by being thrown in a situation where now _he _had to dictate who lived, and who died. She grabbed his chin, and gently pressed her lips to his. At the same time, she felt Astoria begin to relax.

_What…is that about?_ Claris silently wondered.

She pulled away, slowly. "…thank you." Was all she said. And it was all she needed to say, before he gave her a quiet smile.

"Finally kissed your own damn boyfriend huh?" Katrina quipped, praying to _god _that would help relieve the tension. Claris flushed slightly, the exact reaction Katrina was going for.

"Unlike a certain someone who can't keep her mouth off of someone else, _I _like to take my time and _savor _the moment."

Elliot, deciding now was the perfect time to get in a few shots, spoke up.

"Oh is that why you went so slow whenever-

"MY FOOT! YOUR BALLS! THINK ABOUT IT."

"Oh I'm thinking all right." Elliot countered.

"Might want to include high speed impact in that equation." Helen joined in, in defense of Claris. Will just blinked at her, before snorting to himself and falling to the ground laughing. Helen blinked at her fellow blonde companion.

"What's so funny?"

"You _never_ make jokes like that! Wait till the others hear! Prim and proper Helen Cartwright making a joke like that. They'll _never _believe it!" He laughed out.

Helen frowned. "I'm not _that _big of a prude."

"But you admit you're a prude." Seth pointed out. She whirled around and glared. Astoria burst into wild giggles as Seth just rose his hands in defense.

"I'm just pointing out the opening in your statement, that's all."

"I'll open _your _statement." She countered irritably.

"That only makes sense if you're talking about bank statements, and if that's the case why the _hell _are you going through my mail in the first place?" Seth responded.

"I…you…RRGH!"

Astoria just laughed even louder. Alicia began to giggle as well.

"Give it up Helen, you can't win against him. He cheats." Astoria said.

"I resent that accusation."

"Well, in _his _mind it's not cheating, but really, using a form of logic that flows around conceptual reality without defining a true single form until it's required and then returning to a formless mass of existence just to counter people's statements and force them to stop thinking linearly, thereby slowly increasing the median intelligence level of the human gene pool? Yeah, that kinda counts as cheating."

Everyone just stared at her.

"What?"

"…what was that?" Claris asked her sister, slightly worried.

"How he views interactions with what he classifies as an 'idiot'. Which is the majority of humanity as a whole." Astoria responded. "Why does everyone seem to forget that I've been in his head _twice_ now?"

"Because until you and I occupy similar spatial coordinates they aren't subject to our confusingly intimate mental interactions nor the aftermath of a semi-formed mind and a more constructed mind clashing and molding into one another before being forcefully pulled apart?"

Astoria nodded. "That makes sense I suppose."

"Indeed. At least I didn't respond by simply saying 'Pizza' as I do sometimes."

"That would be infuriatingly confusing if you did."

"Which is why I do."

"Mmm…now that you mention it I could go for some pizza…"

"I could go for some sleep. Plus I should probably get Will and Helen home soon."

"Point…poo. We'll have to get some pizza tomorrow then."

"There's a thought." Seth agreed.

"Wait. I just thought of something." Astoria blinked, and then pointed to Alicia.

"Where's _she _gonna stay?"

Alicia blinked as well, now realizing her situation. "Oh…oh…boo I never thought of that…"

Seth sighed. "She can crash at my place for now." Everyone looked at him. He rolled his eyes.

"Contrary to the common thought, I _do _have more than one bedroom. Astoria just chose to ignore it."

"Hey, you _needed_ a good sleep that night. How else were you going to stay focused on the date?"

"Doesn't stop the fact that you chose to ignore that there was more than one place for you to sleep."

"Doesn't stop that I chose to stay over in the first place either. But you needed me, even if you didn't realize it, and I did. So there."

He just sighed and shook his head, she gave a triumphant smirk.

"Fine, fine…but you two are taking her shopping for clothes tomorrow."

"SHOPPING!" She cried out happily.

And then she deflated. "Wait…I don't have that much money…and she doesn't have any at all."

"Yes and I have more than I need at the moment so I can foot the bill. Just don't go _too _crazy. I'm whacking you over the head with the boxes if you buy more than three pairs of shoes. And only ONE of them is allowed to be for the sake of having them."

"Spoilsport."

"Seth…you don't have to do that. I can…" She trailed off, seeing him just stare at her.

"He's going to keep doing that until you just shut up and accept it." Astoria pointed out. "I wouldn't wait too long. He's very patient, and he _will _keep his gaze on you until you give in."

Alicia nodded rapidly, cheeks flushing. Now that she thought about it, he'd seen her completely naked. And while she _really _didn't care-she was also still wearing his vest-she didn't know what was going on in his head and it felt oddly discomforting while encouraging at the same time that he'd be _staring _at her for an extended period of time. But, she knew how Claris felt about that, and also knew that he would be willing to sacrifice his own well-being for the sake of someone else, and was _probably _still feeling guilty about the whole killing her when she was Nights thing…

So she quickly accepted, because so far the scariest thing she'd encountered since she, as Nights, met him, was Astoria.

You do _not _mess with Seth, because it will get back to Astoria. And that girl had _serious _power hidden inside her.

* * *

><p>That next afternoon, Seth brought Alicia back to the Sinclair household where the three girls left to go to the shopping center to get Alicia some proper clothes. Seth remained behind, stating he refused to be bag-boy and had some stuff to take care of anyway, both inside Nightopia and out.<p>

After the girls left, and he could no longer see them, he doubled back, walking back to the Sinclair house and knocking on the door. Katrina opened it, surprised to see Seth, let alone see him looking…nervous.

"Anything wrong?"

"I…have a favor to ask."

She wanted to make a quip about not being sure if she should be the one teaching him how to properly pleasure a woman…but there were times for jokes, and the nervousness in his stance, combined with the hardness in his eyes kept her quiet.

"Go on."

"…I want to know how to not die."

His wording was…unusual…but she understood what he was asking. She gave a soft sigh, and nodded.

"Let's get you dressed…and then I'll teach you how to take a fall."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Not…as awesome a fight as I wanted it to be. But then again, it wasn't a _fight_ it was a **beatdown**. Yes, Nights is alive, only she's not Nights anymore. She never _was _Nights. In my eyes, it would make more sense for Wiseman to have corrupted a pair of dreamers to use as templates for his First Levels. Who else would be able to interact with Ideya on such a scale other than Ideya holders themselves? Plus, going with how the Lord of Nightmares is an incomplete being in my story, it makes more sense for him to use less energy by simply overwriting something that already exists.

And yes, Alicia looks like Alicia from Valkyrie Profile 2, though they aren't the same person at all. The Nibelung Valesti usage was her deciding to mess with Seth's head a bit, knowing she resembled Silmeria's Alicia. No, she's not going to have any romantic feelings of any sort for Seth, just loyalty born from him freeing her after hundreds of years of being a prisoner within her own mind, even if he did it accidentally.

Out of **seven **Nightmaren, only two remain. Reala, whom is severely beaten, and Jackle, who may or may not make an onscreen appearance. I'll have to think on that one. I already have Reala's final defeat planned out, and I think you'll all enjoy what comes. To give a bit more backstory on who Reala _was_, basically he was one of the many Poor in a neighboring Kingdom back in their time, and, like Wiseman, had the potential to become a Lord of Dreams. But he was filled with rage and hatred, and Wiseman used that to easily get the boy on his side. He willingly became Reala, for the chance at more power, and possibly control over this new world.

Of course, Wiseman isn't completely stupid. He made Nights and Reala much weaker than they were as Dreamers, so he could easily control them. But Nights always had the flaw of Alicia becoming Nights, against her full will. So Nights was "tainted" from the start. Which led to Nights rebelling. And Wiseman, not wanting to waste energy, let alone kill such a powerful asset, had Nights locked in the Ideya Palace.

So there we have it. Nights is gone, both First Level nightmaren are revealed to have once been dreamers, just like Wiseman. Alicia displays immense control over the Dream, because she has not the problem of the mind that Seth does. As to why the Izanami responded to her…? Well…that'll be explained next time, but I'm sure you all can figure it out.

**D&S Master: **Yep. You should have. Miko's in a lot of things that have any tie to Zero at all. Even if just vaguely. Here's why Nights had to die, both the believed reasons, and the actual. Though I swear I put something in last chapter that led up to Seth deciding Nights had to go… Another possible Lord has appeared! And this time, it's a girl, and not only that, she's got more abilities than Seth!

**Smileyfox5150: **yeah, I figured you would. I _did _kinda give extremely vague, nonsensical warnings that you'd have a reason to. But Nights was never "real" in this story. Just an overwritten form of a powerful female dreamer. And Reala's the same. But remember, back many chapters ago. Seth thought of a _pattern_ to things. One male, one Female. Both powerful dreamers, appearing when the World needed them. The people who ended up becoming Nights and Reala were both capable of becoming Lords, but Wiseman stopped them. Oh don't worry though. Reala got a beat-down but this chapter was an eye-opener for Wiseman. He's still got some tricks up his sleeves, and you'll see, Reala won't be so easily beaten next time…

Well there you have it. A masiiaeogaeogbne$&$*(%%Y*)%#$!##$)…..

….

_**System Error**_

_**Unidentified Tower Access Confirmed**_

_**Proxy connection detected**_

_**Connecting to proxy host**_

_**Temporal distortion initiated**_

_**Downloading data**_

_**Executing program**_

**EXEC_HYMME_NIGHTOPIA**

"_**ALTHENA'S LIGHT SHINE FORTH!"**_

…_**END OF LINE**_


	14. Consequences of Hatred

"Did you know about her?"

Seth lay on the lap of his pseudo-child, Mikoto. She was gently playing with his hair, the two sitting underneath a tree at the top of a grassy hill. Bright blue sky covered his view, rolling clouds gently crossing his gaze towards the heavens.

"Yes and no. I knew of her existence, when she was active as a Dreamer. For a while the World was prepared to acknowledge her as the next coming Lord, but then she vanished from its perceptions."

"When she was turned into Nights, you mean."

Mikoto nodded. "Her energy signature…her native Ideya, vanished, then. The World thought she had simply left, or somehow perished. It identifies Dreamers by their Ideya, and she no longer had any. Her existence had changed, gone from the senses of the World."

"Why…why could she do all that? I mean it was like watching a real-life version of Dragonball Z for Tia's sake."

"She has been not just a Nightmaren, but one that has gathered countless Ideya by this point. She has seen dreams, seen visions, hopes and desires. All of the abilities she displayed were always possible in this world…people just didn't know they were unless they were truly dreaming. She has gained aspects of personality that belong to thousands, if not millions of people. Memories, wishes, thoughts…all of these are now at her fingertips. And that little 'skimming' trick she can do was unexpected as well. To be able to gently lift a specific thought, a specific ideal from someone, without harming them or their existence…it's a scary thing."

"She outclasses me in every way…she could use the Izanami…I thought only I could."

Mikoto sighed. "As much as I wish it were Daddy, the Izanami responds to the strongest dreamer at the time, if there is no Lord." She frowned, but grabbed his face and made sure his eyes were locked on her own.

"But that doesn't change the fact that you _are _meant to be the Lord of Dreams. Just…maybe not _this _time. Sooner or later, you will become Lord again, be it in this life, or one of your next. Its who you are, you have an almost perfect mindset for it. Don't fret so much that this girl came back and is one-upping you left and right. Knowing what I know about people, especially the people that tended to surround you, she probably showed off a little, to help you realize what _more _could be done in this world. Even I can tell you've been subconsciously limiting yourself Daddy. She probably feels like she owes you something, for freeing her from her binds."

"Doesn't matter if it's possible." He spat. "I still can't do it."

"Can't, or 'don't know how to'?"

He was silent.

"Come on Daddy. Don't think like that. You're the _Biggest Dreamer_. You're like Takato Matsuda. You can do _anything_."

"I'm not that special."

"Yes, you are. You just need to stop limiting yourself. Daddy was always one of the first to get the mechanics of this world, and make them his **bitch**. Yeah…it helped that the last few lifetimes, Daddy came from a world which is capable of much more supernatural things than yours is now, but you _know_ you believe in that. So stop holding to _disbelief_ and start blowing shit up!"

"…I know you're right Miko…" Mikoto gave a soft smile, for her Daddy used to call her that all the time. "…but I just don't get it. I should be able to do all this…so why can't I?"

"Because you're pulling a Callisto, Daddy."

"I'm whatting a who?"

"It's a different story."

"Miko…fourth wall. It can only handle so much."

"Sorry Daddy. But I'm serious, you're doing what she did."

"…which is…?"

"Thinking of everything you _should _be doing, how you _should _be feeling…and not focusing on what you _want_."

"…aren't…they the same thing?" he quirked an eyebrow, confused.

"Similar, but not the same. What one believes one _should _do, may not be what one _wants _to do. Thus, you have a conflict of interests. Do you follow the logic of others, or do you follow your own wishes? It's been proven by many people, Daddy included, that when what someone _should _be doing, matches what they _want _to do, the conclusion is a much better result. Sometimes, what you _should _do, isn't what you _want _to do. And until you can realize what your **Desire** is, you'll be stuck. So Daddy, you have to ask yourself. Not what you should be doing, but what do you _want _to be doing?"

* * *

><p>Days had passed. Seth was quietly slipping in and out of the Sinclair household, secretly learning the arts of physical combat from Katrina herself. The woman was a harsh taskmaster, but he pushed everything, his hope, his desire, his self-loathing, his confusion…every emotion, he pushed into his training. When he wasn't training with her, he was in Nightopia with Mikoto, trying to overcome his weaknesses. Trying to go back, back to the days of freedom, back to the days of thinking he used to hold.<p>

He had been too focused on keeping everyone alive, to truly focus on his own feelings.

He took everything he knew, every impossible concept, thought of every possible way it couldn't be done.

And then tried to do it.

Coached by Mikoto, encouraged by the girl who called herself his Daughter, Seth wondered if this was what it meant to truly have family. That thought pushed him on further, knowing that he _wanted _to win against Wiseman, he _wanted_ to be able to take Mikoto out of this place, back to reality.

Yet his desires would be unheeded…for Fate…was a fickle **bitch**.

* * *

><p>Seth was pulled into an alleyway. The college kids grabbed Astoria too, holding her so she wouldn't run off and get help.<p>

"Y'know, it's bad enough you killed her father. But now you went and got her sick." The taller, blonde one said.

Seth had taken a day off of training in Nightopia, deciding to spend the day with Astoria. Claris was in the hospital, sick from a nasty sudden flu. The doctors didn't know how she caught it, considering how hot the weather was lately, but the group knew. She had taken hold of her dreams, and dropped into Frozen Bell for a bit. She missed the cool crisp air of Winter, and decided to explore one of the realms she never touched before.

Unfortunately for her, while she knew it was a dream, because she sunk herself so deeply into her mind in order to reach Nightopia, the realities of Dream and Waking were blurred, and her body reacted to the thought of her being in immense cold for a long period of time. Thus, she grew sick.

"I had nothing to do with either of those things. Let me and her sister go." Seth retorted.

"Yeah see that's not happening. The kid? Yeah we'll let her go. Maybe. You on the other hand?" The one on his left punched Seth in the face. Despite his training, occasionally bringing Katrina with him into Nightopia so they could properly spar in a location where their wounds would heal much faster, he could do nothing against the surprise attack.

After all, how can you block what you don't see coming?

Astoria started to scream but the guy holding her shoved his hand over her mouth, silencing it.

For the next five minutes, the four laid into Seth, punching and kicking him repeatedly, smashing him in the legs and arms with trash cans and wooden bats. Astoria watched, horrified, crying as these _idiots _beat the everloving crap out of Seth, just because they wanted revenge for something that had nothing to do with them. Her growing displeasure with the people in her town reached a crescendo, her heart forever marred with hatred from this point on.

She wanted to scream to Seth to shift away, to flee, and he did indeed think of that. But he was afraid. Afraid of what they'd do to her. So he remained. Prospective Lord of Dreams he may have been, but in this world, the barriers weren't weak enough for him to touch any of his supposed power.

Or so he believed.

Eventually they stopped, Seth groaning, twitching, bleeding. The tall blonde grabbed him by the shirt, pulling him up before taking something from his pocket.

"Maybe this will be a lesson to you. Stay away from her, and her family." A small indentation was pressed, and a blade popped out. Astoria's eyes widened. A swift swing, and the knife was thrust into Seth's stomach, where a fountain of blood erupted out upon its removal. Seth dropped to the ground, clutching the wound, eyes blurring through pain-filled tears. He barely made out the blonde walking away, still holding the knife, moving towards Astoria.

Through blurry eyes, he saw it.

_I don't…Astoria…_

_I don't care…I don't care if this world isn't Nightopia, I don't care if friggin Alicia can rip Wiseman and Reala a new asshole without breaking a sweat. I don't care if any of that is true or if I'm too weak or too whatever to be Lord of Dreams or anything!_

The man was reaching a hand towards the girl, who was shaking violently, struggling with all her might. It was the empty hand, devoid of blade, though that did nothing to calm either of them.

_I don't care what I have to give up._

_I'm not letting __**them **__hurt again._

Astoria struggled, she squirmed, she pulled and pushed, but the man holding her wouldn't budge. She cried, internally and ex, wanting nothing more than to be rushing Seth to the hospital.

After beating the everloving _fuck _out of these assholes.

"_What do you __**want **__to do?"_

…_I want…_

His arm twitched.

_I want…_

And through a curtain of pain, he barely managed to move his arm, reaching for the girl.

…_I want…_

_To __**live**__._

"**cE…"** He croaked. The sound caused everyone to stop, the blonde man starting to turn around.

_**I want her to live!**_

"**cEzYE…**_**NAJA!**_**"** _(I become your escape)_

A pressure like no other built in Astoria's chest. It felt like her very heart, her blood, all her organs, her very _being _was being pushed, shunted, compressed. Her vision blurred feeling a cold wave of _something _wash over her.

Seth called upon his inner desire, called upon the _rules _of Nightopia. He called upon the **tower.**

Unknown to him, Mikoto's head snapped up, her head echoing with his cry. Unseen by her, something deep within the tower, shifted, a light appearing where there was none before. The tower itself acknowledged the summons of the one who activated it, pulsing as it internally ripped a hole between worlds, temporarily giving Seth access to the Lord of Dreams' most _powerful _ability.

At that very moment, as he focused all of his desire, all of his _will _into freeing Astoria…

Seth, tore open a _Reality Marble._

The blonde man whirled around upon hearing the unknown cry. He saw Seth's hand outstretched, before the teen seemed to just _vanish._ A loud ripping sound like a massive cloth being torn echoed outwards as a gigantic wave of distortion ripped into place from Seth's act. The ground shattered where he lay, wall behind him crunching inward as if punched by a giant. Astoria vanished as well, in a similar rip, the man holding her blown back, arms literally crunched, screaming in agony as he slammed into a near-by trashcan, toppling over.

The five men stared in shock. They just _disappeared_.

"Shit let's get out of here."

They fled, leaving the injured one, whimpering.

* * *

><p>An all encompassing rushing noise flew through her ears. All she felt was pressure. All she could see was blurred colors, racing images faster than her eyes and mind could track.<p>

It was nothing like ever before. Everything was a mess, a realm of pure Chaos.

Suddenly, things became clear. She felt a feeling of falling.

Landing on all fours, she found herself in front of a police station. She ran in, screaming.

"HELP! PLEASE! SOMEONE!"

Immediately no less than four officers shot up and ran to the hysterical girl, two of them recognizing Claris Sinclair's sister.

"What happened?" The girl stammered repeatedly before one of them laid a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"It's alright, just try to calm down. Speak slowly, and tell us what happened."

"I-I was walking with a friend of mine. And…and these five guys just jumped us out of nowhere. They pulled us into an alley and covered my mouth so I couldn't scream. They, they said they didn't like that he was hanging around my sister, that they were getting close. They said that it was bad enough he killed our father, and they'd teach him a lesson. And they started _beating _him! With everything, their fists, trash cans everything! And then, and then the blonde one _stabbed _him!"

The officers' eyes widened. Immediately they started calling out commands, one of them leaving to call in an all-points-bulletin.

"How did you get away?"

"He…he _shifted_ me! He _pushed_ me to safety!" Astoria burst out, forgetting they wouldn't understand.

"You mean he got them away from you?" the one holding her shoulder asked.

"NO! No he _shifted! _he…he…." She squeezed her eyes shut, balling her fists. The officer felt her shoulders tense, body shuddering violently. Every thought, every instinct was focused on that feeling, that all encompassing feeling of being compressed, of _moving_. She _had _to show them, she _had _to make them believe her. She _wanted _that Chaos again, she wanted to go _there_ to wherever it was he sent her, so she would come here.

She didn't know it, _he _didn't know it, but Seth had accessed the deepest parts of the Tower, the most powerful ability of the Lord of Dreams. Seth had opened what was known to the Denizens of the Dream, as a "Reality Marble". An enclosed space where the wielder was **God**.

And at the moment he created the Marble, though it lasted for less than a second, he dictated one thing. At that moment, when the two worlds became one for a brief second, he **commanded**.

He commanded her to be safe. Thus, _both _worlds heard that command.

To be 'safe', Astoria required the ability to _move_.

Thus…the concept of _movement_, was granted. She was given a lesser version of his reality crossing ability, his ability to shift between planes of existence, and shift around locations in the Dream. She was given the power to _move._

And with a loud rip. She did.

The officers stepped back in shock as the girl just _vanished_ in a ripple of air. The one holding her shoulder lurched back, a very painful stinging ripping through his hand. He was lucky he wasn't a threat, or his arm would have had something horrible happen. A defined _thoom _echoed behind them, and they saw the girl reappear, marble floor cracking beneath her feet, desks near her being shredded by the accompanying distortion from her return. The noise got the attention of the rest of the precinct, including the chief of police who was there at the time. More officers rushed out, and as soon as he saw Astoria, and the damage around her, he knew _something _was horribly wrong.

"Astoria Sinclair?" He called out. She whirled around, tense, cheeks covered in tears.

"Chief did you _see _that?"

"Later Parkens! Miss Sinclair, what happened?"

She spoke her tale again, and the Chief barked out commands. She gave as best descriptions as she could of their looks, and the Chief offered to drive her personally to wherever she felt safe.

"I-I want to speak to my sister." Claris was in the hospital recovering from a nasty sudden flu. The group guessed she might have picked it up from being in Frozen Bell for so long. She was doing fine, and it wasn't that bad, but she was still kept for extra observation, the doctors noting her exhaustion. The Chief nodded, gathering his coat and keys, demanding someone clean up the mess and start putting in an order for new desks, the two leaving and getting into his cruiser.

"Miss Sinclair…about your friend. It was Seth Johnson, wasn't it?"

"Yes." She said, pointedly, beginning to calm. She didn't understand it, but in her mind, she didn't _need _to. She chalked it up to having been merged with Seth, twice.

_The barriers must be weaker now…I want to know why I could do that…but right now, all that matters is I __**can**__._

The Chief grimaced, knowing that the short, terse answer meant she lumped him in with the rest of them.

"Miss Sinclair…I have to admit my guilt in hounding him in the past. We were…we're retarded about your sister." He admit, solemnly. "Two of my officers overheard your tale to her two weeks ago, and relayed it to me." Astoria's eyes widened, her body tensing up. Her mind began calling out, reaching for that pressure again. Having the feeling she was going to do whatever it was that she did before, he hurried on.

"One of them, Miranda Carr, suggested we take a look at the park, where you had claimed you two came back. We did…and we found the damage to match your story. The three of us, those two officers and myself, believe you about what you've said. We've been trying to keep an eye out for anything unusual. We know that you, your sister, and your friend Seth are the only ones who have a chance at stopping this…Wiseman character."

"…" She had nothing to say to that. She was shocked.

"I need to know, so I know how to convince my cops you weren't making things up, even though that little trick of yours shook them pretty nicely. Is he _there_?"

"I hope so." Astoria said softly, calming once again, but not dropping her guard. "I don't know…I thought he would come with me but…I guess he got good enough to split return points."

The man nodded, not fully understanding, but trying to.

The ride was continued in silence.

* * *

><p>"Claris!" Astoria cried out.<p>

"Story? Chief Williams, what-…did something happen?"

"I'll leave you two be. Will you be alright Miss Sinclair?"

Astoria nodded. "Yes. Thank you."

He tipped his hat and stepped out of the room, sighing heavily. It would seem _now _they had to get involved, if only just. The girl's little trick would help their case…but still…

"Story what happened? I thought you were with Seth."

Astoria told Claris everything. The attack, the words, the port, _her _port. Claris was silent throughout the whole thing. Suddenly, surprising her sister, the girl's eyes grew hard.

"I see."

"…sis?"

"No…it's nothing Story. Just…a decision I've been coming to terms with making."

"What are you going to do?"

"Don't worry about it. Come on, c'mere. Sit with me. Tell me about your day, before…then."

* * *

><p>Only a few people saw it.<p>

In the sky, over the Twin Seeds Tower, the battle site of Claris and Elliot's clash against Wiseman.

The weakest point in the barriers between realms.

A wave of distorted color ripped through the air, a massive pressure descending upon the city.

An enraged scream echoed through the dreams of all.

For a brief moment, every phone, every television, every electronic appliance flickered. Reception died, calls to other towns and countries were suddenly dropped. Television broadcasts from around the world were cut off, static on the screens. Radio signals from everywhere outside the city, vanished, blocked. A total communications blackout occurred. And yet, it was _only _with anything outside the city.

Alicia grasped her chest, heart pounding heavily, dropping to her knees. She _felt _the rage within that literal _roar_ of fury. Being a Nightmaren for centuries, and being a potential Lord before that, she had a much closer connection to Nightopia than most others, even Astoria, who linked minds and wills with Seth. As the air around her distorted, the girl turned nightmaren turned girl again, knowing that something _bad_ just happened.

And every part of her knew, that only _one _person could cause such a reaction.

* * *

><p>He ran. Blonde hair bobbing up and down with each footstep. It was dark, sight was impossible.<p>

Tripping over his own feet, he dropped to the ground. His hands felt around, trying to gain balance. He felt something warm…something wet.

He screamed.

His sight had been returned to him.

He'd landed upon a bloody corpse. He heard a soft giggle behind him. His head whirled around, trying to find the sound.

And then a sharp pain.

He looked down. The corpse he'd landed on changed shape, to that of a pale little girl with long black hair. Arm stuck right in his side. She giggled at him again, pulling. He screamed in agony as the girl pulled out a bloody kidney, crushing it in her hand, before her other hand lashed forward, gripping his throat. He gurgled as her nails dug into his skin, eyes tearing, body flailing as she raised him up, higher and higher.

This freak of a girl was bodily lifting him off the ground, arm somehow stretching impossibly to make sure he was over her head.

"You like to play with knives?" She asked, softly, innocently.

His eyes widened as he saw a gigantic meat cleaver appear in the air above them. The girl's eyes widened as well, echoing her mouth which split open in a deranged grin.

"Well then…_**let's play**_."

It swung down.

* * *

><p>The next day, things got worse.<p>

A literal invisible wall was blocking all exits from the city. Any planes that tried to cross their airspace suddenly exploded upon reaching the outskirts of the city. Cars were crushed upon impacting a completely invisible barrier, that seemed to distort the air between the city, and the outside world. Many people gathered at these sites, pushing and pounding, but a literal dome had been placed around the city, nothing except air and water could get in or out. Insects were watched to cross the barrier effortlessly, fish just as easily. But no human could enter, or leave.

Nor could any of their constructs. Radio waves, satellite signals, nothing could get through. Nothing was disturbed, there was no visible sign except running straight into solid air, that there was a barrier in place. The city was locked down, no escape from the nightmares that had now begun to grow in intensity. Shadows flickered in and out of people's view, distorted shapes and shimmers of light and form. Animal-like beings, humanoids, strange creatures would appear and vanish from people's view.

Car accidents piled up, trains crashed into the barrier, boats crumpled inward upon touching the invisible wall.

Fear was paramount. Nobody knew what was going on, nobody knew why this was happening, _how _this was happening. Blades, guns, flames, nothing worked on the distortion. It just absorbed it all. The sky turned overcast, rumbles of thunder, flickers of lightning shooting through the air. No rain, just humidity, pressure.

Only ten people had any idea of what might have been going on.

Out of those ten, only one of them implicitly knew _how._

* * *

><p>The ten people gathered under the tree where Claris and Elliot officially met. Claris had just been cleared from the hospital, told to get some rest, to take a few days off from her singing schedule.<p>

The adults were surprised to see three cops join them. Tales were exchanged, explanations and information, before finally they got down to business. Katrina was grasping Claris' hand tightly, the elder of the two Sinclair sisters having an uncharacteristically stoic look on her face. Astoria's eyes were shimmering, torn between sadness and rage.

"Have any of you heard from Seth Johnson since yesterday?" Chief Chris Williams asked.

Many negatives. "No contact whatsoever? Not even through dreams?" Miranda Carr pushed. Still, nothing. She sighed. Her kids had woken up suddenly, screaming and crying. Her and her husband had raced into their room, trying to comfort them. But when they asked, all they got was two, frantically chanted words.

"_Daddy's hurt! Daddy's HURT!"_

"So what's happening? Why is this going on?" Williams queried.

Alicia, clad in her original dress from all those years ago, a thick black dress covered in chains and metal tassels (thank the Realm that the style she loved still existed in this time), snorted heavily. Everyone turned to her.

"Why? I'll tell you why. You all ran him underfoot. Treated him like scum for something he didn't do. Everyone has their breaking point, and I'm surprised, and impressed that he didn't just start popping people into the Nightmare. Especially once we got our hands on him. But even if he's not the one who gave the command, even if it's not _his _will, I know who it is. You're all going to pay for what you've done, for the pain you caused him. You've played with fire for too long, forever assuming he'd never stand against you. It is the way of men to make monsters, and it is the way of monsters to destroy their makers."

That statement caused Williams to flinch. He had thought the exact same thing once he learned that Astoria's tale was true.

"Yet I highly doubt it was him who asked for this. No…I know who it is."

Guilt was on the three cops' faces. Sadness, but determination was on Claris', and Astoria just looked irritated.

"Who?"

Alicia snorted again, turning to face the group.

"Daddy has a little girl. A beautiful little girl who loves him very much. A little girl who has been spending the last few centuries looking for him. Wanting him to come home to her. She's been alone for so long. So she called for him. She hunted for him. And she finally found him. But now, daddy's been _hurt_. Not just hurt, almost _killed_ by the people here."

Claris, Elliot and Astoria all stared at Alicia in shock, knowing exactly who it was she was speaking about. The only child they knew, that would command such power. The only _other _child outside of Astoria, who held Seth in such high regard.

"Daddy's little girl is **pissed.**"

* * *

><p>A grey void.<p>

Her eyes looked around. She saw the little girl, muttering to herself. She stepped forward.

"What? Get out of-

"You're hunting them down, aren't you?"

Astoria confronted Mikoto, the sentient 'child' of the Realm.

"I won't let you stop me!"

"I'm not going to."

Astoria stared the girl in her face, getting a very strange smile.

"I _want_ to help."

* * *

><p>For the next week, as hysteria grew, the nightmares got worse. Every night, people all over the city would dream of being brutally murdered in multiple, various ways. Two girls, one with red hair, and one with black, would appear in their dreams, hunt them down and slaughter them.<p>

Every night, Astoria would sleep, a disturbing smile on her face, as she joined Mikoto in punishing those who had hurt her savior. Seth was still recovering, it was a nasty wound, and it would take time to heal. But during that time, the two children, completely disillusioned with humanity, bound by their love and loyalty for him, would deliver agony filled punishment through recurring nightmares. Astoria quickly grew used to waking up, seeing the blood of her victims on her hands, seeing her face dripping with their life liquid, even if it didn't exist.

And every time she saw it, she would smile to herself.

For you see, they would deliver the justice those whom had harmed him, wished upon him. Those who said he should die in a fire, were burned alive. Should get hit by a truck, were repeatedly bounced around by speeding semis. Drown in a lake? They would die by drowning in a pool of their own blood.

Stranger still, were the victims themselves. Young, old, child, adult, teen, it didn't matter. If they had verbally or physically attacked Seth, because they believed he should be punished for living, believed he was the cause of Jacob Sinclair's death, they would wake from their nightmare…and a mark would be on them. A scar from a gash, a burn from the flames, angry red skin from being choked to death, broken arm or leg from being crushed or dropped. And as the nights continued, the wounds would accumulate.

On top of that, they found themselves sagging, not just from the stress of the nightmares, but as if they were missing something, something vital.

Astoria had also been taking their Ideya.

In a maneuver that surprised Mikoto with its **darkness**, Astoria began draining people bit by bit, of their dream energy. The way she saw it, Seth was practically ruler of this place already. And with that in mind, nobody who would treat him like they did, should be welcome. Mikoto readily agreed, stating that even before, Daddy was too forgiving, at times. He might be mad, but these people were the same type that tried to corrupt it from the get-go. But she left the draining to Astoria, not wanting to overextend herself. While she may be the consciousness of the Realm, without a source of power, without a Lord of Dreams to enhance the capabilities of the Dream, she could only do so much, before she risked the stability of the world.

Nobody who had attacked him, was safe.

And they knew. The two girls _knew_ exactly who to target, how to target them. It was in their minds, within their memories. All one had to do was touch their Knowledge, and their minds were open to the two. They recreated scenes from horror movies, enacted moments from survival games, brought slow, painful torturous death to the dreamers night after night.

Consumed by insects, carved open like a Thanksgiving turkey, eviscerated, segmented, impaled, set alight, drowned, strangled, bones shattered, eyes popped, fingers and toes pulled violently off. Blood, death, pain, was all anyone whom had crossed them could dream about. And it _stuck_. It was forever in their minds, people becoming jittery, jumping at shadows, fearful of their surroundings.

Their rage echoed through the Dream. Children, innocent children who had nothing to do with anything, would be woken constantly, screaming at their parents.

"_**DADDY'S HURT! DADDY'S HURT!"**_

The two girls weaved Nightmare like never before. Even Wiseman could not manipulate his own realm to the scale Astoria and Mikoto were. Mikoto was a given, for she was born of the very World itself…and Astoria?

Silently, unknown to any except Mikoto…Astoria had been _accepted _by the Nightmare. The **True **Nightmare.

None of their victims would ever sleep peacefully, for if those two girls weren't torturing, the Old Ones were. The **Desire **of Astoria for justice, for pain to be brought, for them to _suffer_ called out to them, brought them between realms. Astoria's wishes were as of a guiding Light. They recognized her as one of their own, just as they claimed Seth those weeks ago. They saw into her heart the day she pulled him from their grasp, saw that she held strong to the _knowledge _that sometimes, bad things could lead to good ones, fears could be turned into strengths.

And now, she was calling.

She was calling…and they would answer.

And yet, that wasn't all. Valuable, required supplies were dwindling, food was running out in stores, new shipments unable to get through the invisible barrier. But on top of all that. The nightmares, the pain, the exhaustion of having their very existences slowly leeched into an unstable world beginning to cross into their own…something bigger, in their minds, something that was far more damning than the impregnable dome that had covered their city.

They lost their celebrity.

* * *

><p>"E-excuse me?"<p>

"I said, I quit."

On the eighth day of the lockdown from Nightopia, Claris marched up to the Twin Seeds Cultural Committee building, and threw down her resignation. She had called all her agents previously, telling them she was leaving the singing industry for the time being. All of them local, they tried to convince her otherwise, but she threw in their faces: "I've no interest in being the star for a town who ostracizes innocents for living through a horrible accident."

They all shut up, knowing who she was talking about.

"You, but, but! We need you! You're our star singer! The best in the city!"

"And you're all a bunch of heartless assholes who shunned and attacked a friend of mine simply because he _survived_. Why should _I _let my fame continue to hurt someone I care about, when it wasn't _fame _I wanted in the first place! It was random chance my father died that day, just like his parents did. And he lived through that _same _random chance. And from then on you treated him worse than scum, when he didn't do anything! He'd lost his parents just like I lost my father, but all any of you bothered to do was blame him for living! I've heard the things people like you have said to him over the years, and they make me _sick!_"

"Claris, we-

"No! There is no excuse for your behavior! You are **adults!** Act like it! You made your choice, and now I'm making mine. You can find another singer for your stupid festival, assuming any of you survive the **Nightmare**." She turned to leave.

"WAIT! You know…about the nightmares?" The fat one asked.

"Oh I know alright. And I know why they keep coming."

"Why? Please tell us!" The narrow-faced man begged.

She turned and gave them a smirk that caused all three of them to shrink backward.

"Because you hurt _him_. **She **doesn't like that. **I **don't like that. So unless you want the nightmares to get _**worse**_, I suggest when you see him again? Get on your knees and _beg_."

She left, door slamming shut behind her, three scared, shaking men remaining.

* * *

><p>For the past week, she didn't dream. She just slept. She'd admit, she was afraid of going back. She didn't want to see the world she'd come to love, twisted by Nightmare. But this time, she opened her eyes, finding herself in the grey void.<p>

"Oh. It's you."

She turned around, seeing Mikoto holding a bloody knife. The knife vanished into nothingness, as a towel appeared, the girl wiping her hands off with it.

"Claris?" The girl turned again, seeing Astoria, face and arms coated in red.

"Story…so you've been joining in too huh? Should have known it was you when I heard someone muttering about a 'red devil.'" Claris sighed softly. "How is he?"

"What do you care? It's your fault he's like this anyway!" Mikoto yelled.

"Mikoto that's not-

"It is." Claris stopped her sister. "It's completely true. It's also chance, just like how they died. If I hadn't gotten the part, I wouldn't be famous. Some other girl would have been. And my father would have died, but nobody would have batted an eyelash except my friends and family. But then Seth wouldn't have been ostracized. He'd be a mystery, yeah, people would probably have avoided him kinda, but he wouldn't have been actively _hurt_ by them. I won't apologize for following my dream, but I will say that I'm sorry for what came of it."

Claris sighed. "Besides, I left that life behind now."

"What?" Astoria exclaimed. Singing was her sister's _life! _ How could she just throw it away?

"I quit today. Cut off all ties to that business. I refuse to be a part of something that makes others hurt my friends. I still love to sing, and I always will. And maybe, a few years from now, I'll move out of this town, and try again. But I'm not going to be a figurehead, a star for people who hurt my friend. Even if it happened before he was." She said confidently.

Mikoto blinked. She was a bit surprised at the girl's conviction, but then again, this was one of two who stood up to and defeated the Lord of Nightmares with only the help of a rogue Nightmaren.

"They'll blame him for this too."

Claris smirked, reaching behind and pulling off the hair tie that kept her locks in a ponytail. Shaking her head, she let her pink hair caress her shoulders. Astoria blinked in surprise. Since their father died, she rarely ever let her hair down, preferring to keep it up. That she was releasing it from its binds now…

Meant that Seth was more important to her than people thought.

"Then let's give them a message from the **nightmare** they'll never forget."

* * *

><p>"The Nightmare is growing stronger, it seems." Reala floated before a giant grey crystal, that showed the realm of Nightmare as a whole.<p>

"The World is responding to that boy. Both Nightopia and the Nightmare are working in tandem, to avenge his near-assassination." Wiseman spoke from behind the maren.

"Now would be the perfect time to strike."

"No…" Reala was surprised.

"The World is too focused. Any movement made by my end would cause it to react, and possibly crush us. We stand against that whom it has chosen as greatest potential, yet it is due to the nature of balance that we remain. Should we move now, we draw its attention and could possibly cause it to choose to disregard its own rule, for the sake of its chosen. We shall wait until he recovers, and the World calms down. The barriers between all three realms have weakened further. Crossing over may not be as difficult as before."

"I see."

"We shall wait…and when they are recovering, we shall press the advantage. We must prepare, gather our forces. The Realm has pushed beyond its limits, now influencing the human world once again. We shall wait until the girl finishes raging, and then we shall strike."

_Soon…soon enough, I will reclaim what was to be mine…_

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: Ohh…_shit _son. This shit just got real. We now see the result of idle hatred, the result of human stupidity. Nightopia _itself_ is pissed with the people of that city. With Mikoto awake, the Dream Realm now has much stronger presence when it comes to terms of reality distortion. And with Twin Seeds already being on the edge between Real and Dream…

But this gives Wiseman an opportunity. This new, forced unison between realms is a chance, for him. Those five college students just started something that has consequences beyond _anyone's _knowledge.

We get a glimpse of what can _truly _be done, when Dream and Nightmare are working together.

**D&S Master:** for a moment I didn't know what you meant about the Lunar reference, and then I remembered, that was Lucia's line. Yeah…by the way? _There's a reason for that._ Lets just say that line will come into play _much _later. And it does…something. Wiseman and Reala are now going to step up their game. Their strongest adversary is now back, and more powerful than before. But at the moment, they can't do a damn thing. Those five have just bought both sides time…but only one side is going to be using it right.

I've answered your question about Alicia already, but I'll leave a smaller one here for others: Alicia existed in both worlds long ago. She had a body, a voice, a scent, and a psychic presence. While her body was shut down in the human world, as she was locked in Nightopia, her _soul _didn't return. Thus, the human world classified her as 'displaced'. Mikoto already stated that if conceptually possible, you can take objects from Nightopia into Reality. Alicia is a perfectly normal human being. Her coming back to Reality works, because the real world can easily support a body that is no different, internally or externally, than the ones it already makes.

**Smileyfox5150: **and the conversion is a success. And now, you see not just what happens when Dream and Nightmare work together, but also, a _taste_ of just how powerful a being the Lord of Dreams is.

And remember, Mikoto herself stated she's got even _more _power than the Lord.

Suggestion to all: if you come to re-read this chapter, when reaching the point where Astoria joins Mikoto in the nightmares, you might want to have Touhou Koumakyou: The Embodiment of Scarlet Devil: Devil's Advocate OCReMix playing. It _really _fits the chapter.


	15. Revalation of Destruction

Ten days.

The lockdown had been going for ten days now. The nightmares continued, Astoria and Mikoto proceeding with their team-up to slowly leech the Dream Energy and sanity from the people who had done such damage to Seth. Seth himself was recovering, slowly. Mikoto believed he might be well enough to be brought back to reality, to a proper hospital within the week. But still, until he returned to the human world, Mikoto and Astoria vowed to continue their assault.

Food was beginning to dwindle. There weren't many farms around the City, most of their produce being shipped in from a neighboring town and its fields. Fishing wasn't the best method of food acquisition either, considering that most of the fishing done in the area around Twin Seeds was for fun or sport, their catches mostly too small or few to make profit or meals. News casters had gathered from around the state to broadcast the strange force field around the City. Messages on signs were posted at highways where the roads should have met, all describing a scene of horror.

**SEND HELP**

**DADDY'S HURT! DADDY'S HURT!**

**SHE WILL KILL US ALL**

**REPENT FOR OUR SINS**

**I LIKE CHEESE**

**THE NIGHTMARES WILL NEVER END**

**WHERE'S WALDO**

**MAKE IT STOP. MAKE IT STOP. MAKE IT STOP.**

**RENEGADE 4 LYFE**

_**RRHA GUWO ERRA CHS VIEGA ZETHPA YEAL OZ MANAF**_

All over the world people were shown the level of destruction surrounding the closed off city, wreckage of planes that flew too close to the barrier and impacted it, ships that had capsized, cars that had slammed head-first into the invisible wall. Across the globe, four people recognized some of the messages on the signs. Will, Helen and their parents were clued in that something went wrong in Nightopia, and now the city of Twin Seeds was being somehow contained within an endless nightmare.

* * *

><p>"You see this?" Finally, they'd been caught.<p>

The police had been on a manhunt for the five college students that savagely beat Seth and almost killed him.

"All of this shit, all of those people dead? All of those little kids crying for their parents? All this blood? That's _your _fault."

They tried to protest, it was impossible, they had nothing to do with any of that.

"You hurt him. You almost _killed _him. And that pissed _her _off. And all of that dead, came from _you _idiots thinking it was a great idea, thinking you were big men for standing up for a person who didn't even have anything to be stood up for. And now, thanks to that, not only is this city on lockdown from some spook, but the girl you were thinking you were protecting? Yeah. She wants _nothing _to do with **any **of us. You almost killed her boyfriend. And you hurt _her _father. Now _both _of them hate this city."

The fifth was long dead, died from blood-loss and shock. When the cops found the scene of the crime, they found his body, picked at by crows and vermin. Wrists shattered and torn off from Astoria's forced jump. After carting them to the police station, they brought the four in for proper questioning. However, they ran into someone they didn't expect.

The three Sinclair women were at the station, just emerging from the Police Chief's office, as the four men were being brought to the holding cells below. Suddenly, all four of them tensed up upon seeing the youngest Sinclair, who seemed to stop as well, staring at all four of them.

"Come on, move it." One of the officers said. They began shivering. _That _was the freaky girl from their nightmares. The one who was always doing those things to them!

"Oh…hello Robert." Astoria spoke pleasantly. The blond man, the leader, the one who stabbed Seth, began to stammer, trying to pull away from the officer grasping his arm, shaking his head rapidly.

"N-no…nonononono!"

"Wonderful weather we're having isn't it? A bit too humid for my tastes however." Claris got suspicious. She'd only been with them once, when they created the nightmare that was to be embedded within the city's subconscious. Astoria…was acting strangely. In a breech of protocol, one that the Chief himself let occur, Astoria casually stepped up to the shuddering blonde man, who seemed to be absolutely _terrified_ of the girl.

"Oh, dear that's right. How's your side doing?" She gently reached out, and touched the area where he lost a kidney in the first nightmare…

When all over his body, his skin ripped open in rivets of blood.

The man screamed in pain and fear, blood lancing from his arms, legs, even his nose and his chest, spurting out like a river upon Astoria's gentle touch. Stunned, the girl barely flinched as the red liquid suddenly coated her form, splattering all over her face. She blinked rapidly, not registering the man screaming and crying, being held down as officers ran around trying to find cloths to soak up the blood and bind his wounded form.

She looked at her hand, feeling a soft, tingling sensation between her fingers. She knew what just happened. She remembered every cut, every rip, every slice upon his body, because after the first nightmare she'd done them all herself. Somehow…just by touching him, she'd brought to reality, every single wound she'd inflicted. As Claris grabbed her arm, pulling her away from the chaos, Astoria giggled.

Everything stopped. Everyone got silent.

The giggles turned into laughs. People started to stare. The three others backed away, shivering, seeing the strange power this girl displayed.

The laughs turned into howling cackles.

Astoria…was _very _pleased.

* * *

><p>"<em>They got what they deserved. All the pain, the suffering they've caused, has been turned back upon them. Me? I did nothing. All I did was exist. And apparently, just by existing…I can make it <em>_**real**__."_

Over two hundred people were crammed into the town hall, one of the widest buildings in the city. The day after Robert Weiland's incident involving Astoria Sinclair, the chief of Police decided it was time to let the people know what was going on. An announcement was made over the radio, on televisions, sent to people's homes. Soon, almost everyone in the city had gathered within and around the Town Hall, waiting to hear what was going on.

"Good evening." The mayor spoke.

"As you all know, an unusual crisis has fallen upon our city. A crisis that threatens our very lives. Yet it was not until recently were we made aware what the cause of this crisis was. As you all know, there is an unusual, unknown, impregnable barrier surrounding the edges of our city. It wasn't until two days ago did anyone truly learn the source, let alone why it appeared. However it is not myself that holds all of this information. I give to you the Chief of Police. Chief Williams, the floor, is yours."

"Thank you Mayor. We already know about the barrier around our city, how it stops anything, communications, transportation, basically anything that is human or made by humans, from leaving. A few days ago…I learned something about it. The reason behind it is just as wild and unbelievable as the existence of such a force itself. The story is going to be difficult to accept, but it's one that is the truth." He paused, centering himself.

_Now or never_.

"As many if not all of you know, about a year ago, strange things began to occur. It started with the children having odd, recurring nightmares of a little girl calling for her daddy. That nightmare then became spread to the teenagers, and finally the adults of the city. But the source of all this doesn't begin there. No…the source of all this goes further, much further back. Back to the dawn of humanity itself. At an undeterminable time in human history, a…place, was created. An unfathomable, conceptual world much like Heaven, or Hell. Many people over the millennia our race has existed, have speculated on this world's existence, but none have ever been able to confirm it, that we know of."

The crowd was confused, but captivated.

"This world is a world we all go to when we sleep. Our minds descending into it upon the beginning of our dreams. Yes, this world is one of Dreams, and also one of Nightmares. Long ago upon its creation it was merely a formless void, but eventually one person dreamt up a form for it. This person became, much like our God, known as the Lord. The Lord of Dreams. Over time, more and more people became aware of this world, for at its core, for many of us, it is merely a stage where our dreams play out. That world, to us, is much like our own, just a place filled with things. Our minds supply the people and stories of our dreams, and the world provides the settings and props. But it has laws, it has rules, it has a reality all its own. And over time, there became a sentience, a mind, if you will. This mind was given form, created as a bridge between humanity and that world."

They started to murmur, the hell was he talking about.

"I know this sounds far-fetched, but bare with me, it will become clearer soon. Skip forward to a more recent thing. Over time, powerful people from the human race became aware of this world. One, was a person just like any of us. He became trapped there, but was able to manipulate it to his will, however that world didn't like him for some reason, it didn't accept him. Slowly, he was driven insane by the inability to wake, to escape. He became what we know now as the 'Lord of Nightmares'. A being capable of manipulating the negativity of that world. The Lord of Nightmares grew in power, feeding off of our emotions, our dreams and fears, as we slept. He had become strong enough that now humanity was in danger, as he prepared to tear open the protective barriers between our world and that one, to flood our world with incomprehensible creatures."

Some of them thought he was nuts…but to others, even some of the adults…something felt…off.

"Two years ago, two people from our city encountered one of the life-forms of that world. This life-form, once created by the Lord of Nightmares, had rebelled against its maker, not wishing harm upon Humanity any longer. These two people spent time, drawn from their native dreams and into the reality that was that other world, and battled the creations of the Lord of Nightmares. Upon confronting and battling the Lord of Nightmares himself, the battle took place in a representation that mirrored the skies of our own city. They succeeded in defeating the Lord of Nightmares, but at a cost. The battle was so fierce that the barriers between worlds, at least at the point of their confrontation, had been weakened. While the Lord of Nightmares was now gone, our world was greater exposed to its sister."

The ones who didn't think he was nuts, started to think. They _remembered_ having an odd dream of a cloaked man being chased and struck by two figures leaving trails of sparkles in their wake…

"However, the Lord of Nightmares is a _required_ existence to that world. As long as there is no Lord of Dreams to maintain stability, the Lord of Nightmares must exist in order to keep the bare minimum of existence. Imagine it as a human body. It at least requires food and water every certain amount of time or else it begins to fail and break down. The Lord of Nightmares returned, and begun his attempts again. This time however, he was thwarted by two people from a different city. However, like before he returned. That was a year ago. But it wasn't his return that started all this. No…"

_Here it is. Make or break…sorry kid…_

"One year ago, an accident occurred."

Silence reigned. Almost as if it was instinct, everyone beholding the meeting, _knew _what he was talking about.

"On that day, the day that our own Claris Sinclair, lost her father…was the day that the events leading to the past couple of weeks, began. On that day, another victim of the crash, Seth Johnson, was whisked away to our sister reality, saving his life. It was on that day, that the barriers were weakened even further. From that day forth, our city became plagued by nightmares of a child calling for her father, only to be cut and torn, pulled into the murky depths of a tar-colored pool. Seth Johnson was the first to encounter that girl, the first to hear her voice, as she reached between the worlds, searching for someone to become the Lord of Dreams, to protect it from the Lord of Nightmares. His parents died in the accident, but because of his own mentality, and way of living, Seth Johnson was spared. I am ashamed to admit that much like many of you, I believed him to have been the cause of the accident. However recent evidence, as well as seeing with my own eyes what came, has shown me the truth."

It all came back to _him_.

"From that day forth, children from our city, began to vanish. However it wasn't just our city. Children from the city that the other two people who defeated the Lord of Nightmares came from, began to vanish as well. This was because the Lord of Nightmares had returned, and now had begun hunting for specific traits, a specific type of energy we give off when we sleep, to use as key to a greater strength. Our own Claris Sinclair had her sister as one of these kidnapping victims."

They remembered that.

"However, it came to light that it wasn't Seth Johnson that had done it, but he was the one to save her. Since the day of the accident, since the day he was forcibly pulled into that other world, he retained the ability to 'cross over' if you will. He himself did not understand it, but he gained the power to move between realities. It was through that power that he saved Astoria Sinclair, and stopped the kidnappings by giving the Lord of Nightmares something _else _to think about."

Wait what? That kid…was the reason the vanishings stopped?

"Two of my officers overheard the tale that Astoria herself told her sister, one day in the hospital. They relayed the information to me, and like you all, I didn't believe it. But there was proof. Astoria Sinclair had said that when they returned to the city, the area they had came in from, was wrecked. The ground was shattered, trees were broken and bent, benches were torn apart. It was that day that I, with the two officers that heard her claims, went to investigate. And what we saw…was real. Everything matched her tale."

Eyes widened all around. At first, it all seemed like the ramblings of some religious movement. But then he mentioned the park. It had been all over the news that _something _happened there. Almost as if a bomb went off.

"You are all probably wondering what this has to do with the barrier. Well, as time passed, eventually Seth Johnson uncovered the source of our recurring nightmares. He met with the child, the aggregate sentience of that other world, and she proclaimed him her missing Father. However, something you must all know about this other world, is that _nothing _is hidden there. She knew his entire past, she saw the hatred we all threw at him, the disgusting threats and words, our very actions. Not just from his memory, but from our own dreams. We are at her mercy there."

Oh…shit. Many people paled.

"And going there is unavoidable. The only way to never go there is to never sleep, but that would lead to insanity, or even death. She knows everything about every one of us, for as long as we know it, and we enter her realm, she knows it. But it was not his will to seek retribution upon us, even though at any time he could have. Allow me to make this clear. He was able to physically cross into a realm that was originally purely mental. At any time, he could have grabbed someone talking negatively to him, threatening him, and pulled them into that world, and left them to rot. Many if not all of you have seen the news reports from Bellbridge. That strange cat, that came out of nowhere, that unusual cat that was capable of cutting through solid steel, strong enough to knock over a full truck, faster than the eye could track. That was one of the residents of the other side of that world, known as the Nightmare. _That _was one of the creatures Seth Johnson could have left any of us to deal with."

They started getting scared.

"But he chose not to. So she listened to him. But almost two weeks ago, something happened. Something changed. Astoria Sinclair and Seth Johnson were attacked by five college students native to this city. Seth Johnson was savagely beaten and stabbed, hated because he and Claris Sinclair began a relationship, blamed for her getting sick suddenly. Astoria Sinclair was present for the whole thing, and upon seeing that one of them was advancing upon her, for an unknown reason, Seth Johnson forced a cross between realms, once again pushing Astoria to safety, while fleeing himself. The day after that, was when the barrier first appeared."

It started coming together in their heads.

"I see many of you already understand what that means. Yes. That means we have angered the girl who calls herself Seth Johnson's daughter. We have angered a veritable Goddess, whom is now using her power with deadly effectiveness to _force _a cross between realms, creating the impenetrable barrier that now surrounds our city. She has created and is consistently enacting the debilitating nightmares that we are now experiencing. I myself am not exempt from dreaming of my own gruesome, painful death, waking up feeling like a part of my body is missing. Our meaningless hatred, culminated in the actions of those five college students, one of which died from Seth's fierce rejection of the laws of our reality, and ended up almost killing him. And now, his Goddess of a Daughter, is raging, holding us to our actions, holding us to our sins. Many of you may not believe in Heaven, or Hell, or God or the Devil or any supernatural force, but the proof of this event is right in front of you. In this case, this Dream World, does, indeed exist. And the current strongest being of it, for she is even more powerful than the Lord of Nightmares, is angry with us."

People began shouting. How do you fight something like that? How do you stop it? What were they supposed to do?

"I cannot answer those questions. All I know is why it all happened. The barriers between worlds have grown weaker and weaker, and our city is merely one of the first to be touched by it. We have created this situation through our own foolishness, our own stupidity. And now, we, and our children, will be forced to pay the price. Nobody can contact him, nobody can access that world the way he can. We will not know when this ends until the day it does. We have fanned the flames of hatred, and now they have returned, controlled by a powerful source, to consume us."

* * *

><p>It was Chaos. People in the city tried to get on with their lives, but those who worked outside the city could not get in contact with their employers. They could only hope that the news stations outside the city were broadcasting the situation. How did one combat something that lived on a plane of existence outside your comprehension? The truth was out, something beyond humanity existed, and it was angry with them. As foolish as they were, one thing had been made clear. If they did anything <em>more <em>to Seth, they would die. This was retribution for their crimes, for _almost _killing him, for making his life hell.

Many people swarmed his house, questioning the girl, Alicia. The cover-story was that she was his cousin from Europe, whom didn't know of his existence until just before the incident. She was living with him for the time being, to determine if he was fully capable of taking care of himself or not. But though Alicia knew far more than she let on, she did not speak. Many tried breeching the house, only to be repelled, a very similar barrier around it, one that only Alicia could walk through. Whoever she was, it was clear to the people of the city that Alicia had the favor, or at least, wasn't _hated _by that Goddess.

* * *

><p>Fourteen days.<p>

Two weeks, the city had been locked down.

During that time, Astoria would silently move amongst the crowds of the city. When she would gaze upon one who had harmed Seth, she would see what they did to him. Those who simply ignored him went ignored as well, they weren't worthy of facing her new power. But those whom had denied him something, those who had spat in his face their wish for him to perish…

She would slip past them…and they would be coated in flame. Sudden spurts of fire would erupt onto their clothing.

Or they would suddenly be toppled over, from a gash in their leg.

Some would find themselves screaming, as chunks of their flesh would suddenly be torn off as if ripped by the fangs of a rabid wolf.

Nobody, police, hospital personnel…none of them could figure out why some people would suddenly be missing a finger, or be coated in gashes, or covered in scorch marks. None of them died, for she made sure to do it when plenty were around, but they all felt horror, all of them felt pain. And each time, she would watch them, from afar. She would _jump_ to a nearby roof, crouch down and peer over the edge, and watch them get carted away.

And she would smile.

But then…on the fourteenth day, something changed.

A call was placed. Sirens roared.

Under the base of a specific tree in the park, paramedics found a partially healed, but still badly injured Seth. They rushed him to the hospital.

In his hand, was a crumpled piece of paper.

It was a note.

"**Next time, it won't just be a nightmare."**

* * *

><p>She was a bit…nervous.<p>

You wouldn't be able to tell by looking at her. Hell you wouldn't be able to tell by even talking to her…unless you were one specific person.

It's rather…jarring…to go from one life, to another…and then find yourself thrust back in your original form. The part of her that was buried deep within Nights had lost hope. She thought she'd always be stuck in that body, stuck in that world. When Nights began to rebel, to fight, she started wondering…maybe things were going to start looking up? But Wiseman kept coming back.

She had learned what went on in the heads of those two…she'd been in a very unusually intimate predicament with all four of them. She saw into their minds, felt their thoughts and feelings.

But it didn't stop her from being jittery.

Oh she'd slept as Nights. Taken naps here and there, relaxed by the world and its calm. But it was the first time she actually _slept_. And to wake in an unfamiliar location…to find herself unable to just lift off the ground and float…

For the first time in her life, she had a panic attack.

Was it fate? Or was it chance? Either way, as she gripped the sides of the toilet, mouth filled with horrible taste, a gentle touch had caressed her back, sending shivers of chilling calm up her spine. At that moment, she didn't care about how _horrid _she had to look, she was just happy…for once someone was around when she needed them.

Alicia was always an independent person. But like everyone, sometimes, she wished she had someone in her life she could trust with her deepest fears, her darkest secrets. As a Princess, she couldn't really do anything like that. Anyone could turn out to be a spy from an enemy state, someone wishing to discredit her, and her family. Tension existed, worry, fear…but it wasn't prominent. But now…now she could be a normal girl. After so many years, so many centuries…she was given a second chance at life.

Waking in the home of a boy two years your junior was not anything she ever expected to have happen in her life. Let alone having that same boy hold her hair back while she dumped what little was in her stomach back into the world. The night was warm, but she still shivered. An internal cold had taken form inside her, the unexpected jolt of confusion, fear, uncertainty…the lack of familiarity.

Her first night back on Earth, was hell.

And he made it better.

Tall, silent, yet gentle. He quietly soothed her fear and pain. Wiped her tears. The culmination of hundreds of years worth of depression, fear, anxiety…he didn't make it all go away, but he made it bearable. She easily learned why Astoria was so taken with him…what it was she felt within him whenever they bonded. It was simple, to see why Claris was interested in him. She saw the shock in his eyes, when she threw her clothes off, right in front of him, muttering about feeling dirty…wanting to scrub away the horrible feelings that came from being stuck as a nightmaren.

And then he changed.

To her shock, his eyes went from surprised to…blank. Determined.

And then he jumped in the shower with her. Just as bare as she was. Though when she looks back on the memory, it was mostly because she'd jokingly teased it wasn't fair he got to see her twice in the altogether, and she got nothing back for it. Rolling his eyes, as if exasperated, he complied, though she'd truthfully made no demand.

But regardless…he put his own relationship with Claris at risk for her sake. It meant a lot to her that he'd be willing to go that far.

"…_I've been stuck in my own head before. Not as long as you have, definitely. But I've been there…I know what it's like to be alone when I break…and to want someone…someone I can trust…to hang on to until I fix myself. I might have been dubious about you when you were Nights…but you're not Nights anymore. You're you again…and you took care of Claris…you kept her safe. You're her friend…so I guess I can be yours too, when you need me."_

That day, she'd told Claris what happened.

"_We're friends…and…I don't want to keep secrets like that from you."_

_**the girl just sighed, as she held up a dress that was a size too small for her.**_

"_I can't say I'm happy that my boyfriend touched a completely different girl like that, while he's with me…but…I can see why he'd think he'd have to go all in, in that situation. Unlike most people who do stuff like that…he knows how to keep himself…himself…when he drops down to sync with others."_

_**She put down the dress and gave Alicia a tight hug.**_

"_I'm sorry you had to go through that. I really am. I can't imagine how it must feel to go from one life, to another, and then be thrown back into a mockery of your first. This whole world is different from what you naturally remember…and…I guess I'm glad he was able to help out my friend, when nobody else could."_

_**Alicia nodded. **__"We didn't have things like psychology or therapy back in my time…we assumed it was witchcraft or the devil's work whenever people had mental problems. Or some psychic demon. We had no proof, but we didn't have any proof otherwise either. But I've learned…a lot…over the years. I think I can honestly say I've forgotten more than anyone alive can ever learn. I've seen it all, as civilization changed, and grew. It's just that…that __**shock **__of waking up in my real body, but not being at the castle…or hell even outside it. It was just…so sudden…all I knew was I had to puke…I was just…shivering. And then there he was…but…I never got to ask how he knew. Or why he bothered in the first place."_

_**Astoria joined the two.**_

"_Because you were in his space." __**Alicia and Claris looked at the younger girl, confused. **__"Seth considers certain locations his personal 'space'. His slice of reality. He never had much privacy growing up, and then when they moved here he finally had a door, and forced the right to lock it. So now he had a safe haven from his parents' bullshit…from the world. It was his own space. At this point, with nobody but him living in the house, he probably considers the whole house his 'space'. Generally, how he treats guests is this: 'do what you want, try not to break anything important, toss your trash before you go and just relax.' At the same time, he…feels a certain responsibility to keep an eye on them, in the sense of 'they are within my space, thus under my jurisdiction. Should problems within them arise, I shall offer what guidance I can.'"_

"…_so he…woke up…and helped me…because he felt he had to?"_

_**Astoria shook her head. **__"No. More like he considered you a guest who has been put under his protection. While you're within his space, he treats you like his own: looks out for you, keeps an eye on your state of existence…stuff like that. Basically…think of it like back in your time. He's king, and you're temporarily one of his subjects, placed under his guard. Anything you need, that he can provide, he will, because that's how he does things."_

_**Alicia nodded, understanding. **__"So less 'had to' and more 'this is how I live, because I choose to live this way.'"_

"_Yep. He did the same with me, when I was over…but then again, I stuck around for his relaxation, more than mine."_

"_Bullshit you just wanted to sleep with him." __**Claris countered.**_

And yet…she grew used to waking up, and him being around. The few days leading up to his assault were…relaxing. There were minor relapses, that she had…but none anywhere near as extreme as the first. Against her protests he bought her a phone, and let her remember how to use it. _"In case I'm out and you need me to pop back and help."_

Lucky for her, she wasn't technologically retarded.

And then after…

Oh how she wanted to tear them apart. She'd seen plenty over the years, she knew how to torture a person, she knew how to create impossible levels of agony within someone without being caught…or even leaving a single mark.

The house was lonely without him. As the weeks passed, she started going to Claris' house a lot more often.

She didn't like being in his home…without him at least being in that world. It was a shock, to learn that Astoria now could do a lesser form of what Seth could. The young redhead could teleport now! Travelling between spaces in the blink of an eye. It was incredible…and made Alicia wonder what _she _could possibly do…or if it was by the grace of Seth that it happened.

She would easily admit she was worried. Seth was her savoir, just like he was Astoria's. And her friend too. She let out some of her anger, that day when she bit out what she presumed had occurred. She'd gone back to her favorite colors, black and silver.

But he was still gone. And the barriers made things worse. She was listening, when the announcement was made, she was there, when knowledge was parted.

And she was one of the first, alongside Claris and Astoria, to rush to the hospital on his return.

But he was still unconscious. Barely responding to stimuli…

Yet her problems were just beginning.

* * *

><p>The barrier had dropped. Some, who were trapped in the city, visiting family, raced home. The internet, phone lines…all of them were filled with tales of horror and fear. How near the end, people would just start dropping to the ground, injured by some unknown force. The world was forcibly woken up to the presence of a parallel reality. World leaders were called to meet…<p>

But there would be no time.

Four days passed since Seth's return and hospitalization. He spent all that time asleep, unconscious, recovering.

Four days since the barrier dropped. The nightmares stopped.

Until one day…a horrid screech echoed through the city. All over, people stopped what they were doing, faces full of confusion, questions in their minds, spoken from their lips.

And then the first one came.

* * *

><p>Dropping from the sky like a swooping bat, people screamed as a gigantic, hairy, black and grey spider slammed onto the top of a pick-up truck, crushing it. It loosed an ear splitting screech before leaping and pouncing on the nearest person. More of them dropped, some the size of humans, others the size of cars and trucks, and a few the size of small buildings. The city was quickly overrun by the eight legged creatures, hissing and spitting. Globs of acidic substance melted walls and trees, tendrils of silk wrapped around cars and humans, pincers crushed small vehicles to metal husks.<p>

Claris was out with her mother and friends when the strange distortion coated the sky, the echoing screech of an enraged beast ripping through the air. She watched as no less than three of them seemed to appear from _cracks_ in the air. Shadows formed in between people, mutating and morphing into the horrific shapes of the Spydre horde. One of them spotted her and raced for her, only to be knocked aside by a thrown basketball. Elliot and his parents were racing towards Claris and her mother as more of them began to form.

A shadow covered their view, and they looked up to see one leaping right at them. Claris ran forward, giving into the strange instinctive sensation running through her body, lashing out her right leg as it neared them. Her foot connected with its underbelly, knocking it into a tree where it collapsed, giving a soft pained squeal. The girl was coated in a soft red haze, Claris looking at her hands in surprise.

"What's going on?" Elliot yelled. "Seth's back! This should be over!"

"It's not him…" Claris spoke softly, watching more Spydres form. "It's not him…nor Mikoto. Neither of them like spiders…no…somehow, this must be Wiseman's doing…"

Elliot grabbed his ball, holding it under an arm, looking around at the flickering forms of the Spydre horde beginning to cross over.

"What can we do?" He asked. The soft red glow around Claris flared, before seeping into her skin, her eyes giving a brief flare of the same color.

"…We fight."

* * *

><p>Screams filled the hospital walls. The spider creatures tearing at everything they could, humans being trampled underneath as they raced around, catching as many as they can. One in particular slammed through the glass barrier between rooms, showering the floor with shards. It shook off the glass before looking around. All of its eyes focused on the figure sleeping, wrapped in soft white sheets, multiple devices attached to its form.<p>

Its pincers clicked excitedly, the creature racing forward.

But it tripped.

Its legs got caught on a wire, leading through the room. It slammed into the bed, sending the occupant rolling out from underneath the sheets, the weight of the creature combined with the person they were connected to, making the tubes and wires stretch before snapping. The spydre stumbled around, grasping the boy in its pincers before it slipped on the sheet he was wrapped in, crashing into a window. The window held, but barely…before the bed, its wheels still engaged, rolled further and smacked into the spydre. The combined impact forced the two out of the cracked window.

Moments later…

A black flare ripped through the sky.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Not as much in this as I wanted there to be…but next chapter…gets crazy. Also, I live in NY and just felt the first ever earthquake of my life. Ha, I thought it was a helicopter flying too low, before I started paying attention to the vibrations. Too slow and heavy to be one of those. Plus, my cat didn't care. And I trust the senses of animals more than I do any human.

**Archsage328:** Haha, I'm glad I could draw out the hatred that lies within you! Oh there is no mercy for the people who harmed him. Astoria saw to that. And their problems are just beginning…

We're getting into the Endgame now. This is where it all gets real. The barriers have been breeched entirely. Spydres are invading the city, Seth's been knocked out of a window…Claris and the others are fighting for their lives…

This…is where it all comes to an end.


	16. Condemnation of Intention

Some stared in shock as the glass shattered, two shapes dropping from one of the highest floors in the hospital. Others gasped, seeing a human figure, and that of a giant object, dropping from the sky. Many screamed as shards of glass rained down upon them, the people covering their heads and running, yet unable to stop looking.

All of their looks turned to shock, as a _massive _wave of inverted light ripped from the smaller figure. The glass shards all seemed to halt, the figure's descent slowing until it landed gently on its feet. The shock intensified as they recognized that head of black hair, the garb of one stuck in the hospital, the broken tubes connected to his flesh underneath patches of white.

Some were in front of him when he landed, the ground softly cracking underneath his feet. They watched him raise his head, they saw the distortion of light form around his body like a summer haze. They stared as he opened his eyes, gaze blank, emotionless…

**Grey.**

The larger creature landed behind him. The shock turned to horror as it was revealed to be a giant spider. The creature screeched a horrible sound, before jumping at him.

He didn't bother turning around.

A pulse of mostly transparent black, and the spider was blown backwards, as if someone had slammed a truck into it. It crashed through a nearby tree, before the tree itself shuddered. They watched in shock and awe as the tree rose up of its own accord, rotating slowly, before the rotations picked up speed. The leaves burst off, branches snapped as a loud grinding sound echoed through their ears. The branches seemed to get sawed down until they were wooden lances. Wooden lances that rocketed toward the slowly rising spider, piercing its legs and snapping them off. The body dropped to the ground as a heavy buzz sounded out.

The tree trunk itself had been shaved into a point. The gigantic wooden stake ripped through the air, slamming right between the many eyes of the Spydre, blood splattering everywhere.

Only then, did Seth turn.

And he began to walk away.

* * *

><p>A swing of the blade.<p>

She threw herself backward, back arcing just in time for the blade to pass over her stomach. With one hand she caught herself, propelling herself further away from the returning sword. But when she landed…

He was right there.

_He's gotten faster!_

She turned to her left, swinging her right arm out, her own, narrow blade slapping his aside, barely. She was thrown back by a pulse of air that ripped from his thrust palm. She spread her arms out, slowing her flight until she could control it, re-angling herself to land on her feet. She threw her own hand out, pointing at a nearby bench, before it rose into the air and flew at him, to be cut down by his blade.

Reala had gotten much better at combat, his style resembling the one his original self used.

There were no words as the two flowed through the skies. She had barely evaded his first attack, the Nightmaren hoping it would be his last. The blast of condensed air cracked the gravel of the sidewalk she was standing on. The glass of nearby houses shattered, the girl looking around in confusion. When she saw Reala floating in the sky, racing towards her, the heavens coated in a misty veil of dank colors…she knew something was horribly wrong.

Yet she still fought. Reala was swift and brutal, holding his blade with both hands…just like before. Alicia was still unused to combat outside of Nightopia…but considering Reala was here, and she could hear the screams and sounds of gunshots, she confirmed that he'd brought something from the Nightmare with him.

She threw herself into her belief that now, the world was maneuverable as she needed it to be. And for the most part, she was correct. The two clashed, Alicia learning quickly not to try to outright block his attacks.

Her arms were still sore from the first lock.

Swinging out her arm, Reala spun through a condensed sphere of water, the speed of the Drill Attack, keeping him from getting wet at all. He responded with a torrent of lightning, which Alicia ducked under, keeping her blade low to avoid it acting like a conductor. She slid beneath him, flicking her wrist while making a soft circle with her arm. A flicker of a few sparks, and a spinning disk of light appeared hovering over her hand. She tossed it, and he sliced right through it.

_Damn…Kienzan wasn't enough. I don't have the time for anything bigger…he's too fast. Shoot I should have taken up some refresher days with Katrina!_

Reala closed the distance between them, after swinging his arms around, creating an instant paraloop to shred the iron lamp Alicia had launched at him. A swift swing of his blade and Alicia's eyes widened as a strange distortion of light ripped from the space where he swung. Dropping low, the 'wave' passed over, but then Reala swung again, vertically this time. Twisting to the left she narrowly evaded the compressed distortion, feeling the air curl as it was sliced.

Determined she stared right at Reala, and vanished. Reala whirled around, almost effortlessly blocking Alicia's swing. Slightly surprised, but able to easily fend the feeling off, Alicia threw her weight backward, going with Reala's repelling thrust, swinging her head out of the way of the retaliating slash-wave.

_Dammit I wish I had a Lightsaber right now!_

Turning her head briefly, she swept her left arm from the ground towards Reala, a series of broken branches shivering before rising into the air and lancing at him like rockets. Once again, however, a small Paraloop silenced her attempt at slowing him.

In seconds, he'd closed the distance.

He reached back for an overhead swing…

When someone _else_ stepped in.

* * *

><p>"Please! Help her! Help my daughter!"<p>

Seth quietly walked by the raving mother begging for his help. The haze had remained around him, many Spydres had attempted to attack him, to be blown away in seconds. Not a single one could land a touch on him, the strange haze mutating into an almost perfect orb around him, before they would find themselves tossed into a wall, or simply thrown to the ground. He would barely move an inch, merely keep walking. People watched in shock as he simply shrugged aside all forms of attack. Globs of acid were shredded into nothingness, entire bodies of arachnid creatures were caved inward, crumpled to the ground before they vanished in wisps of black and angry purple.

He had a goal. And nothing would stand in his way from completing it. The haze flared up, air seeming to sizzle as another pulse ripped from his body, tearing through thick webbing before him. It was as if Spider-man had laid a trap for someone.

"P-please! I'll do anything! I'll give you anything just please!"

The woman dropped to her knees, begging, screaming, crying. Seth's head turned slightly, empty gaze locking onto the woman. As his eyes met hers, he saw brief images. Images of happier times…of her daughter.

Seth stopped. Blinking once.

The woman gasped as she felt an unusual sensation fill her body. She moved her hands away from her eyes to see herself beginning to rise. Seth was staring at her. She looked at him, tears running down her face.

He **knew **that girl. She was important.

Yes. Important…

…_**Amanda…**_

The woman shifted to her feet, staring at him in surprise. He turned in a different direction, raising a single arm as he pointed to the nearby wall of a building.

The wall collapsed. No…collapsed wasn't the word. It was _shredded_. With a single point of his fingers, it was as if a wave of pure destruction tore through the solid brick wall before him. The obstruction seemed to rip itself apart as if someone had taken hold of it, twisted it clockwise, and then pulled out a giant chunk of it in a perfect circle. Awed, fearful, the woman watched as Seth entered the building…

The building in which her Daughter was trapped. Bound by thick webs.

All she heard was screeches, whines, loud **BOOMs **and** THOOMs**. She could do nothing but wait, watch parts of spider's bodies go flying out of the window, watch walls burst outward, giant creatures and their broken bodies ripping through the sky. She felt a heavy pressure wash over her as an impossibly _loud _screech echoed through her skull. And then it got quiet…

At least around her.

Slowly, she heard the crunch of gravel, of broken wood and glass being crushed underfoot. And then she saw them.

"AMANDA!"

She raced forward, pulling the girl into her arms. Amanda cried joyful, relieved tears. They were going to eat her. They had her all wrapped up and were slowly descending upon her. Her and a group of others. Seth had cut them all free with a spiral of glass, spinning at impossible speeds. As at least twelve other people raced out of the building, some still had the buzzing of the glass in their ears, as the sound of makeshift saws cut through the air.

Softly, Seth walked up to the hugging mother and daughter, before tapping the girl on the shoulder. She turned around, and he grasped her arm gently, tugging it slightly before letting go and beginning to walk away.

The woman was confused, but her daughter seemed to understand.

"I think he wants us to follow him…"

* * *

><p>Reala flew back, forced to dodge a flying <em>car<em> that slammed into a nearby building, collapsing the wall and breaking whatever was inside. Both Reala and Alicia stared at the direction the car came from…

And there was Seth.

"…what?" Reala spoke, confused, surprised. Something was different here. _I sense…no Ideya…no…wait…I sense all of them…_

_All of them united as one…?_

There was a flicker of light, a pulse of rippled air.

And then four cars began to lift up. Alicia and Reala both stared in shock as the cars seemed to shudder, metal rattling dangerously. And then they _shattered_. Fragments of twisted metal, the loud popping noise of exploding tires, the booming sound of combustible materials becoming volatile. They watched as the cars all fragmented, the fires of their destruction whirling around, becoming entwined, encased in spheres of metal, that seemed to melt, shift and conform into small orbs. Orbs that individually shot for Reala.

Instinctively, Alicia took to the air, leaping out of the way. One of the orbs missed Reala and slammed into the ground, where a big fiery explosion occurred upon impact. A small crowd had gathered. The police were keeping them back, away from the battle of Reala and Alicia, but Seth just threw their barricade aside. The haze flared as two more orbs ripped towards Reala, spiraling around one another as they did. They shot for him, and he dived down, towards the ground, where they split apart and seemed to take opposite paths towards his destination.

Faster than he could react, the two orbs collided into one another, making a veil of flames upon their impact, the concussive force from the double explosion slamming into him like a heavy fist, the flying Nightmaren blown back. The ground rumbled, people lost their footing…before it cracked. A giant stream of dusty black and grey grains seemed to spiral into the air, before splitting apart like tendrils of a tentacle beast, each one wrapping around one of Reala's arms as the final orb raced for him.

It slammed into him, engulfing him in a burning wall of agony, his pained screams ripping through the air.

Until he was hit by a truck.

People stared in shock and amazement as objects that weighed hundreds of pounds, thousands even, were lifted and thrown about like children's plastic toys. They watched a pulse of air seem to rip into the jeep that slammed into Reala, tearing it apart and sending fragments of metal, tendrils of flame, deep into Reala's body.

And then Seth vanished.

Reala slammed into the wall of a building, the wall itself buckling and morphing as if to hold him.

And Seth returned. Right in front of Reala.

A dark pulsing ball seemed to hover in front of Seth's hand. Reala could feel the unfathomable pressure contained within, as the sphere seemed to block off all traces of light. It was impossible, what this boy could do, yet here it was, Reala about to be ended by this power. And then suddenly the sphere vanished. Seth's head turned sharply to his left, looking behind him. To Reala's immense surprise, Seth vanished in a ripple of air. Angered, disturbed, Reala felt out for the very faint traces of Ideya that Seth was giving off. He'd locked on to them, and took off, Alicia getting up and shooting after him.

* * *

><p>"Let me go dammit! I have to help Seth!" Astoria fought tooth and nail.<p>

She had come from another direction, racing along after being told that Seth was just there, having saved Amanda from a horrible fate for some reason. She followed the sounds of screeching, of explosions, and saw her sister, Elliot, her mother, and Elliot's parents all fighting off a group of Spydre. But there was no Seth. She saw Penelope, she saw Melissa, whom had dyed her hair back to a shade darker than its natural brown, and she saw Catherine as well, in that group that her sister was protecting.

Astoria called out, ducking under the lunge of a Spydre, before stomping her right foot down, planting it into the ground. She swung a blood red covered fist directly into its maw, before shifting to a nearby fallen lamp-post, grabbing hold of it, and shifting _again_, dropping it, broken edge first, onto the Spydre. She told her sister she was going to find Seth, to make sure he was safe.

Claris called out to the nearby police giving cover-fire to stop Astoria.

She chose not to _shift _only because she was still uncertain if it would harm them, and while irritating, a part of her knew they were only trying to keep her safe. But her safety wasn't what mattered to her. Two police officers were holding her back, as Claris punched away another human-sized spider demon. Claris saw her struggling sister, but did nothing to help. She'd be better off in safety with the others, was what Claris believed. A sudden pulse of _something _shot through her chest, the pink haired girl gasping as if she were just punched in the stomach. Elliot turned to help her, when both of them saw a heavy distortion formed in front of Astoria.

Seth…had appeared.

Hair waving around wildly behind him, his eyes seemed narrowed, almost angered. The haze around him intensified, as the two officers stared in shock that the boy had just appeared out of nowhere. Their eyes widened as Seth gently rose his left hand, pointing at the officer on Astoria's right. The haze seemed to become denser, as a loud, tinny noise began echoing in their ears. A twitch of his palm, and a _massive _distortion spiraled inwards, towards the officer's chest. In a split second, the man in blue was launched backwards.

But he was missing his lower half.

Astoria flinched as she felt the conceptual pressure rush past her body. She barely twitched as her right arm was coated in blood, scraps of flesh and cloth. The officer bled out quickly, spinal cord torn in half, blood and bodily fluids dripping from the tear in his stomach, acids spreading all across the street as his legs toppled backwards. His eyes were wide with shock, pain being overwritten by surprise.

Even the Spydres stopped, as if sensing that something _bad_ just happened.

Immediately, scared beyond belief, the female officer on Astoria's left, Seth's right, let the girl go and whirled around, fleeing. She didn't see Seth raise his right arm, to Astoria's further shock. But she felt the pulse of _force _that slammed into her back, throwing her into the side of the armored van some of her fellow officers had drove in. She gasped, before an incredible pressing force rippled through her body. Her eyes welled up with tears, the woman screaming in fear and pain as everyone stared, horrified.

With a gentle thrust of his fingers, the woman's screams reached a crescendo, before they were cut off abruptly, her body being instantly compressed, a heavy **BANG **as the side of the van collapsed inward, as if the Hulk himself had punched it, her blood splattering all over the ground, body compressed into a fine, red mist. Her bones were completely obliterated, flesh eradicated in a single motion.

Silence reigned. Children who were being protected by other officers and military personnel, adults with pipes, guns and knives in hand, covered in cuts and bruises, blood both theirs and the creatures', teenagers holding chains, blades, guns of fallen allies…

All of them stared at the dark haired teen that had mercilessly slain two of their own. He stepped forward, Astoria's eyes never leaving his.

_Why…_

_Why are they __**grey?**_

Her soft pants were the only things that could be heard, the sounds of fire and screams, gunshots and squeals coming from other parts of the city, sounding as if they had faded. The crunch of the gravel and glass beneath his bare feet, the soft, pitter-patter of the woman's blood dripping from the side of the van.

And then he reached out to her. Gently, lovingly, though face not changing in the slightest from its blank stare…he stroked the side of her face. She let out a shuddering breath, as he brushed a lock of her hair out of her eyes. Something began building in her chest. A need. A _desire_. The flame of _love, _of **passion** had been ignited once again. It was horrible, what he just did. But she knew why. He did it because she was scared, and he sensed her fear. To him, they were harming her. To him, they were threats to her.

Something was wrong…something was different. This too, was one of his mental configurations…though it was one that _he _did not create. An automatic response, a complete rewrite of his mental patterns.

All for the sake of survival.

This configuration demanded that all that stands between him and his existence are to be erased. Astoria's eyes widened as the implications of that knowledge became clear to her.

He considered _her_…**vital…**to his continued survival. Nothing else mattered. Just his continued existence…and _she…_was being logged as a needed part of it. Astoria, her happiness, the people she was directly connected to, people who would cause her irreversible pain if they left her. Astoria was required for him to continue to live…and they were required for her to live. Thus is why he saved Amanda, when he saw it was _her_ that was going to die, to be consumed. Amanda was important to Astoria. Those officers were killed, because they restricted her will. They harmed her spirit by denying her wish. And in this state, **any **harm that came to her would be met with swift yet agonizing retaliation.

She wanted to speak. She wanted to say something. Anything! The knowledge flowing through her mind at that very moment…it both humbled her…and made her feel like the greatest thing in the world. But words would not come. Her voice would not respond. She couldn't do anything except stand there, and receive.

She shivered lightly, as his arm stroked hers, fingers gently brushing against her flesh, the blood upon her body seeming to peel away and fragment into nothingness as his fingers slid down to hers. She twitched, her own hand reacting to the proximity of his, reaching for his touch.

He stepped closer, the girl tilting her head back, to keep her eyes upon his. With his free hand, he stroked the left side of her face, trailing down, leaving a burning line of unknown feeling along the girl's flesh. Her skin felt like it was on fire, her cheeks flaming red, eyes watering. Her muscles were quivering, heart racing at his very touch. Echoed wisps of color had begun wafting off the two of them. Gently entwining like old lovers, the soft haze of spectral illumination seemed to depart from their bodies, forming into their individual orbs, gently coasting around.

But something was different. The air seemed charged further, beyond anything it was before. Light around them began to bend, inverting every few moments, as if the very concept of sight itself were being tampered with.

And gently, his fingers reached her chin, lightly raising it higher. Her tongue lanced out silently, quickly passing her parched lips, her throat seeming to dry at the very _thought _of what _could _be about to happen.

And then, swiftly, but calmly. Instantly…but gently. His lips met hers. Her eyes widened, _everyone's _eyes widened. But hers began to close. She reached out with her free hand, pulling him closer, before she pulled her other hand from his, both of them wrapping around his shoulders. The young man did the same, only with her waist, pulling her into him. All anyone could do was stare. This was _different_. This was beyond unexpected.

But other than the passionate embrace…something else was happening. Once again, the twelve glowing orbs began to come together…but this time something was _different_. They stopped just as they touched, as the two seemed to delve deeper into their impromptu make-out session, their Ideya shuddered, before **shattering**. To the shock and would-be horror of those who knew of what Ideya were, and what they did, the outer layer of the glowing orbs fragmented and broke, leaving only the inner star-like crystal arrangements. As Astoria quickly slid her tongue in between Seth's lips, the crystals seemed to pull away from one another, before the two sets combined into one. Where before, it seemed like the center of the Ideya were the resemblance of a twinkling star, the inner cores became like those of spiked maces. The outer shells re-formed, as glowing ethereal chains ripped from each orb, passing into one another like a web, with those two at the center.

These ghostly chains pierced the two of them, wrapping around their bodies, shaping around their arms and legs, puncturing through their very chests, before it all faded away, a _massive _wave of force ripping through the air as they did.

And slowly…the two pulled apart. Astoria sighed softly, a slow, deliberate exhale…and gently, as if waking from a long slumber, her eyes began to open.

Eyes…that now Mirrored Seth's own.

There was no smile, like the others expected. Claris wondered why…why it felt like she wasn't betrayed just then.

_Why…why am I so calm about this? Like I expected this? Like…like I __**wanted **__this? What the hell is wrong with me? I should be pissed, I __**want **__to be pissed…but…I'm not. Why does this feel…__**right**__? As if this was __**supposed**__ to happen? As if this is merely the conclusion of something that was building?_

Answers would come…in time.

"You thought you could get away from **ME?**"

A voice yelled out. Reala had appeared in the skies, finally having found Seth.

"You'll regret not killing me when you had the chance boy!"

He tore towards the two. Astoria stared at the nearing Jester, face just as blank and emotionless as Seth's. This…was the cause of all the pain. This _creature_ was the start of her confusing life. Without him…she never would have met Seth…but without him, she never would have been placed into so much danger. She wouldn't have felt violated, felt so close to death, as she has. He may have triggered what led her to the young man she has now bonded fully with, but he was a threat. To him, to her, and to everyone she cared for. Reala…needed to die. **Permanently.**

She rose her arm, twitching her wrist.

And Reala halted. Bound, by hundreds of ghostly grey chains. The very same chains he once used to bind Astoria with.

"What?"

He struggled. He squirmed. But he could not break free. For all his strength, for all the energy he was forcing outward, he could not escape. The upgrade that Wiseman gave him, the Nightmare converging upon the Real…it all meant nothing. He was bound, by the emotionless hatred of a small child. He was bound, by the actions he'd triggered. Bound by love and hate, desire and need; all combining as one.

Slowly, Astoria took a step forward, so now she was next to Seth, cradled in his arms. She rose her free, right hand, fingers slightly limp, palm facing Reala. Seth nodded, pulling her closer, before doing the same, with his left.

Those who had seen the end of the first Spydre, recalled what happened when they stood, side to side, partially embracing one another. The Spydre seemed to remember the death of their primary, and raced towards the two, only to be blown back by a wall of kinetic force, bodies writhing, screeches filling the air before a series of **THOOMs** echoed louder, their bodies turned to mulch.

A series of distorted ripples began to form in between their palms, slowly, the air began to darken. Light began to disappear as a small black shape formed. Reala struggled further, but couldn't escape his binds. The distortion grew heavier, ripples growing thicker, the air being filled with a strange buzzing sound. The empty space gathered between them, a small, pitch black spherical shape forming, growing before it was the size of a baseball.

Alicia arrived just in time, dropping down next to Claris, to see the ball of black rocket from between their hands, and seem to block out the light as it flew towards Reala. It slammed into his stomach, where he buckled forward, air flying out of his lungs, as a distinctive _tearing _feeling began to eat at him from his stomach.

"No…no no no nO NO NO **N-uUUEEAAAAAAAAGHHHH!"**

His frantic cries became an ear splitting scream of agony, as the orb pulsed. In the span of a second, the world's colors inverted, before the sphere expanded violently, Reala's body being disintegrated by the growing ball, as its pulses seemed to suck in the chains around it. Claris, Katrina, Catherine, Melissa and Penelope all gasped as they remembered the strange distortion attack that the manifestation of Chaos had used against Gulpo. The gigantic, black-hole like gravitational distortion that sucked in everything around it before collapsing.

And just like before, trees, cars, parts of billboards, parts of the road, streetlights…all of it began getting sucked into the sphere. All over the city, the Spydres began to dissipate, fading back into the realm of Nightmare. Reala was their anchor, their spiritual grip between planes, and with him completely _obliterated_, they could not remain. Their forms faded away into nothing, parts of their bodies vanishing, blood disappearing. They were ejected back into the Nightmare. Some, just as they were about to pounce, others literally inches away from snapping someone's neck. Their webs frayed and tore, dropping many from tens of feet in the air. But slowly, they were pulled back.

And finally, with a final mighty **THOOM**, the orb collapsed. A thick but gentle breeze washed over all whom were at that particular roadway. The sky began to clear, veil of color and light fading back into gentle blue.

Astoria's arm dropped to her side, as Claris and Katrina ran to her. Katrina shook the girl gently, trying to break her out of whatever trance she was in, seeing the girl's iris color slowly flaking from grey, back to their normal green. Astoria blinked twice, before shaking her head slightly and looking around.

Seth…had vanished…once again.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Damn…these just keep getting shorter and shorter.

We once again see Seth's survival instincts take over…but what was that level of power he displayed? The Dream and Reality were one, once again…but this power was even greater than manifesting a protector…

**D&S Master: **Oh shit is right.


	17. Code XEN

Crackles of energy sparked between six sets of hands.

A single figure lay writhing in agony in front of the massive cloak.

Orange-yellow garments began fragmenting as the dark violet strands of power lanced between its form, and its creator.

Long, rabbit-like ears disintegrated under the torrent of energy racing from its body.

And with a final yell…

Jackle perished.

Wiseman gave a soft sigh of resignation. He did not wish to erase his own creation like that, however he needed the power it contained. With all but Jackle destroyed in ways that provided no return of energy, let alone Ideya to him, he was weakened considerably. Using all that power to blanket that section of the Human Realm in the Nightmare, assisting in creating the Spydre horde, which luckily for him, he was able to un-make, thus minimizing those losses…

It had taken its toll. He had enough in him for one final assault, one that was beginning as he had drained Jackle. He could feel the worlds beginning to merge, the Nightmare spreading over the Human Realm. This was not his doing, however. It was the price of rending that world's rules so often, the Night Realm and the Waking Realm were now becoming one, slowly. Ever since the Girl had began calling for the Lord to return, the merge had started, but was at a trickle. Now, it was like a steady flow, a river, slowly rising to wash over the Human World like a flood.

He could, if he so desired, begin leeching energy off of these locations. Now that the two were becoming more solidly bound together, it was within Wiseman's power to personally _touch _people and draw their energy into himself. But to do so would be time consuming, and potentially barely make even the amount of power he would spend in performing such acts. Thus was why he created Nights and Reala, along with the third and second level Nightmaren.

They would do for him what he could not waste the energy doing, allowing him to restore his reserves, becoming stronger than before, if only through sheer numbers. But he had learned the hard way, his maximum power was reduced with each complete defeat. Every time he vanished from the Realms, to return later on, his power waned. It was pure luck, that defeated him the first time, it was a combination of Luck and Skill that defeated him the second. And now, it would seem that if there were to be a third, it would be due to sheer power.

But he knew…he would never be completely destroyed. If all else failed, he would hold his re-materialization upon the Nightmare until such a time that those accursed children had long since perished. But there was a chance…he knew…that there was a chance he could still bring forth victory. And thus, he prepared. During the Earth Week that took place since the end of Reala, as the Nightmare began to spread to other parts of the Human World, he waited.

It was almost time…

* * *

><p>It started the day after the attack.<p>

The veil of color returned. Shadows began flickering in and out of people's view.

But it wasn't just Twin Seeds this time.

Slowly, as the days passed. All over the world, reports of that same misty colored veil, those same shadows shifting in and out of sight, were revealed on the news. With each passing day, more and more locations around the Earth were making reports of strange creatures staring at children and adults alike, some even reaching for them, before vanishing right before people's eyes. People were reporting strange sensations, strange manifestations of things, of thoughts and desires, fears and hopes.

There had even been recorded proof. All over the world, people watched on their screens, as strange looking creatures would flicker in and out of existence, stepping through hallways, walking into walls, sliding out of trees and even people themselves. There was confusion, there was fear…there was panic.

And as the hysteria spread, the Nightmare Veil spread faster.

Intercontinental transport was temporarily halted, as scientists and even spiritual leaders alike tried to figure out the origin, the make of this strange distortion. Pilots had given reports of flying through the veil at some points, looking through their windows and finding themselves in Hellish looking lands, or as if they had just entered Paradise. Reports of crisp ocean waters, raging volcanoes, gigantic treetops, desert ruins…

And only two cities, knew what any of it was.

During the week since the Spydre attack, Will, Helen and their parents had been transported by Astoria to Twin Seeds. Astoria had learned, slowly, that everywhere the Veil was, she could now go to. She found out accidentally when she one day wished she could see Will and Helen, and talk with them about what was going on, and she found herself dropping out of the air, right on top of Helen who was fast asleep.

From there, she had done what she knew Seth had done, and pushed the limits of her new ability. Anywhere the veil was, she could teleport to.

Yet…none of them had seen Seth. None of them had heard from Mikoto. None of them were able to dream properly, stuck in a well of blackness, not even the grey void that was the Tower's default location. They were afraid, they were worried. And the Nightmare having spread was not something that put them at ease. There were no attacks since the Spydre horde…_yet._ But they all knew it was only a matter of time. At this time, city officials in Twin Seeds cancelled all educational related activities, not wanting such large congregations of youth to possibly attract anything from the Other Realm. It was now September…yet…they were still free from their schoolward binds.

Even Alicia was stumped. The only possibility she could offer being that maybe the realms had almost fully merged now, and Wiseman is doing something to try to make that merge more Dark than Light. She had never encountered anything like this before, not as Nights, and not as a Princess.

It would seem…all they could do now…was wait.

* * *

><p>A massive distortion.<p>

Above the city of Twin Seeds formed a large ripple of power. Everyone slowed their actions, watching as the distortion collapsed in a torrent of black and red sparks. A massive figure, a being cloaked in royal blue, six floating hands in front of its body.

Wiseman had now materialized within the Human World.

He stretched, a wall of force erupting from his existence. All over the world, reflective surfaces, mirrors, lakes, windows, even video screens, all showed his appearance.

And then he spoke.

* * *

><p>"…Ugh…" a voice broke through the darkness. A single figure rose.<p>

"…damn…what hit me…?"

Black hair reached to the back of his neck, as he stumbled forward. His surroundings were blank. Only illumination coming from a soft glow beneath his feet. The glow itself coming from a pathway seemingly made of multiple slightly glowing rocks, embedded into concrete. Slowly, he walked forward, confusion paramount, but wanting to find out where he was.

How long was he walking? How long had he been here before that? Hours? Days? Months?

Suddenly, he came upon a simple oak door. The door's handle was a crystal adorned skull. He blinked at it, wondering if he should _really _open this door. He shrugged, deciding if it led to the afterlife, he'd find some way out.

He wasn't dying just yet.

He turned the handle, and closed his eyes as a bright light invaded his senses.

* * *

><p>"Citizens of the Human World. I am Wiseman, the Lord of Nightmares. The time has come now for this world to be blanketed within my visage. Behold my power and fall before the weight of your own destruction! For I am ruler, ruler of all that is, and ever will be!"<p>

"LIKE HELL YOU ARE!"

They all saw. A small group of teenagers, staring up at Wiseman. They all stood ready. Out of the entire world, they were the only ones ready for his appearance, prepared for him to come through. The World Leaders had no idea of what was to come, they had no method of contacting the group, or anyone. The group had no time to explain things to anyone who didn't know previously. But they knew. And they were prepared.

But before either side could react to the declaration against Wiseman's claim, another distortion formed. Buckling and rippling violently, as if an angry god were tearing the very air around them.

"**YOU BASTARD!"**

A rage filled scream. The world beheld as the distortion _exploded _outward, revealing that of a _**very **_angry little girl.

"What did you do to my daddy?"

Wiseman was confused. Who was this child? But then he realized who she was. The power coming off of her could not be mistaken for anything else.

**This **was the _heart _of Nightopia, given form.

"You…are…"

"WHERE IS HE?"

Wiseman's six hand-eyes blinked. "I know nothing of what you speak. I have done nothing."

"BULLSHIT! Your stupid nightmaren did something to him! YOU made the damn things, and you told them to attack! **WHERE THE HELL IS MY DADDY?**"

"I know nothing of his whereabouts! I know only that he has destroyed all of my creations!"

"**BULLSHIT!** Enough of your lies! I've had enough of you! No more games! **We **don't need you anymore!"

She threw her arms into the sky.

"**Restriction number Zero-Zero-Zero released!"**

* * *

><p>High above the Tower of Dreams, situated at the heart of Nightopia, the Dream Gate, formed a glowing circle. Within that circle formed a seven pointed star, before the whole glyph pulsed, six points of light in the shape of swords forming along the edges of the left and right halves of the circle.<p>

"_**Dimensional boundary interference field deployed!"**_

A wall of light erupted from the glyph, before a potent beam of energy lanced into the sky, washing over Nightopia as a whole, puncturing the boundaries between worlds. The ground shook as the tower gave off an otherworldly glow, crackles of energy discharge coasting its entire surface.

"_**Code: X.E.N. EXEC_NULLASCENSION Activate!"**_

* * *

><p>The light faded. Blinking rapidly, wiping his eyes, he looked around. He seemed to be in a bedroom. A four poster bed lay with its 'head' against a far wall, semi-transparent silk curtains hanging from around it. The bed was rumpled, disturbed, as if someone had just been sleeping in it. A soft, hazy light was flowing in from a stained glass doorway that seemed to lead outwards, possibly to a balcony of some sort. The walls were painted twilight purple, as his mind registered it. The deep, calming violet of the growing night sky. Numerous clothes and articles of effects were scattered about, blades and other assorted weaponry adorned the walls.<p>

Bookshelves containing hundreds, no thousands of tomes, crammed together in one space. Trinkets, glistening in the shimmering sunlight, shiny objects, crystals, everything. Papers were scattered on the floor, images, pictures, symbols, broken algorithms…it was chaos.

He gently padded over to a wall, making sure not to touch anything. Against the wall lay a gleaming scythe, almost seeming to suck the light in from around it. A cold feeling washed over him as he approached…but it didn't feel negative. He felt…oddly calmed by it.

"Well." A voice spoke. He flinched slightly, and slowly turned around.

"I didn't expect to be seeing _you _in my room again."

"Hello. I'm sorry to intrude, I found a door in the middle of a…black void place. I had nowhere to go except forward really. I haven't touched anything, just admiring this scythe. I've never really seen one up close before."

The woman, for that's what it was, tilted her head. Long tassels of black against pure ivory skin, eyes as dark as night, wearing a black tank-top and skirt combination. She blinked at him, confused.

"Never…seen…oh." She gave a soft smile. "I think I get it now. I was wondering how you ended up here. Sounds like you took the backdoor. Hmm…well I was about to join the triplets for breakfast. I don't suppose you're hungry at all? I think they should see you anyway."

"Uhh…well…I don't remember the last time I ate honestly…" He said, stepping over a bra on the floor and standing next to the woman, who was just a bit taller than he was. She nodded at him, gently grasping his wrist and bringing him along through a door that he _knew _wasn't there before.

* * *

><p>The six hands crackled with energy. Rays of multi-colored light ripped from his palms. The teens would duck and weave through the many beams, curling around them like aerial acrobatics. A pulse of light off of one palm, a blast of flame from another. Twin fists slammed into the barrier surrounding Wiseman, the pink-haired owner snarling at him, enraged, fearful, throwing all of her negativity into each strike. Claris' arms were adorned with glowing grey gauntlets, white shimmering strands of light rippling upon them. Twin greaves, in the shape of the feet of a beast, replaced her shoes. The material was unknown to her, but it didn't matter.<p>

It was light, it was powerful, and it made her punches hurt like hell. A blast of rippling air passed by her, crashing into the barrier around Wiseman. A spear of light followed right after, the barrier shattering. Claris flew back, watching as Will and Elliot flew in, surrounded by a golden and blue glow respectively, before crashing into Wiseman, wisps of frost and streams of dirt and stone battering the Lord of Nightmares' form.

* * *

><p>"Well…this is unexpected."<p>

Seth was being held in the arms of a blonde haired woman wearing a skin-tight white bodysuit. He blinked rapidly, for the woman had taken one look at him, slapped him, then grabbed his head and kissed him. The black haired woman who had led him to these strange three, winced at the slap and blinked in surprised at the kiss.

"Ok…I don't know who you are…but my cheek _still_ hurts." He said to the blonde. Upon closer inspection, it almost looked like she had a ring of green in her hair. How strange.

She rolled her eyes and gently touched the offending cheek. A strange but not unpleasant tingling sensation covered the right side of his face before it faded, taking the pain with it.

"Better?" she asked, slightly sarcastic.

"yeah. Thanks." She blinked at that.

"Are you _sure_ this is him? He almost never thanks her for something like that." One of the other two unknown women spoke. The speaker wore a black bodysuit, much like the blonde, only her hair was dark blue. Unlike the blonde, whose hair was done in soft waves, the blue haired woman's hair was cut short, just below her ears.

"It's him alright. You three can feel it can't you?" The black haired woman spoke.

"Hmm…it certainly seems that way…" spoke the final woman. Hair of dark violet, done in a low ponytail, she wore a magenta colored version of the other two women's outfits.

"And you say he just showed up in your room?"

The black haired woman nodded.

"Excuse me." Seth spoke. All four turned to him.

"You clearly know more about what's going on than I do. Do you mind giving me at least a vague hint? I'm _really _not comfortable being left in the dark about this. And you've been rather…decent hosts so far, excluding the out-of-nowhere slap. But I don't know any of you, as far as I can tell, so who knows, maybe I simply don't remember you."

"Yeah. It's him alright." Spoke the blonde.

* * *

><p>A swing of Alicia's blade. It sliced a giant boulder heading her way in two. She threw out her palm, a ball of light erupting from it, slamming into Wiseman's side, as Astoria lashed her arm out, a series of blood red gashes ripping into Wiseman's chest. His barrier had fallen completely. He launched gales of lightning, torrents of flame, walls of air, yet this new generation were too crafty. Boosted by the cries and calls of those in the city, strengthened by their ties and friendships to one another, their Ideya kept them safe from most assaults.<p>

Shards of glass ripped through the air, pieces of benches, doors of cars…everything possible was being thrown. He couldn't keep up. He would swat one aside, only for two more to appear and slam into his back. Their power, their control was impossible. Especially the red-head. She was the _worst_. Everything he sent at her she batted aside without any effort at all.

And he _swore _she felt like that _blasted _child who killed Nights, who killed Reala…

* * *

><p>"Let me get this straight…you three, are the sisters of Fate…and you…are <em>Death<em>?" Seth stared, incredulously. "And you all just _happen _to be beautiful women." He added, deadpan.

The black-haired woman, revealed to be Death, gave a soft smirk. "Yep."

"…my brain…it hurts."

The blonde rolled her eyes. "Don't be such a drama queen."

"Hey, you're not the one who was in a friggin coma after being stabbed, and then woke up to find themselves literally on the _verge _of the afterlife."

"Promyvion." The violet haired woman corrected.

"What?"

"This place. One of the many names for it is Promyvion. It is…connected to the Dream World, much like the other godly realms. We just happen to like it here the most."

"Right…ok so why am I here?"

"We thought _you _would know." The blue haired woman spoke. "None of us called you here."

"I have a theory." The blonde said suddenly. Everyone turned to her.

"I told you before, Zero's thread weaves itself. I can't touch it. Last time I tried it tried to slice my damn hand off for three hours. Almost succeeded too. All I can do is weave _around_ his thread. So what I think happened, was when Reala jumped realms and attacked Twin Seeds, which was _supposed_ to happen, the part of Zero that is connected to all of his past lives, woke up for a little bit. When Zero's thread is actively weaving, I have to stop what I'm doing and watch because it's a _bitch _undoing the knots that show up if I try to keep weaving. His thread, entwined itself with Astoria's the moment the attack began. So what I'm thinking happened is that the part of Zero that remembers, the part that was buried deep within, kept her safe, and then pulled itself here, where 'home' was."

"Wait…what?" Seth was confused.

"Basically, you went into 'Survival Mode' while unconscious, and the part of you that **survives** knew of this place, or at least had some semblance of an idea. So to keep yourself safe, it made sure Astoria was alright, and then returned you to here, where it _knew_ you would be alright." The black haired woman clarified.

"Right…so how do I get back?"

* * *

><p>The energy was intense. They could barely hold it back. Their shouts to each other, shouting words of encouragement, cries to hold out, to push a little bit further, drowned out by the rushing sound of the two struggling waves of power. Before, Wiseman's final assault could have destroyed the city. Now, with all of <em>their <em>power combined into it, there was no doubt. The question was, what _else _would be taken out?

All over, people were crying out for them to hold on, to push a bit more, voices screamed from every street, every rooftop of the city, as the group stood their ground, holding on with everything they had. The buckling, writhing continuous pulse bore down upon them, threatening to engulf and erase them. Mikoto watched, unable to do any more, for she could not properly manifest in the Human World, even with the world converged like they were, without an anchor.

Wiseman laughed uproariously, knowing his victory was just moments away. He pushed a little bit more into the assault. He was draining himself rapidly, but this was it! This was where he could **finally **be declared the victor! After so long, after thinking himself defeated, now was his time to succeed! The wave shuddered, the ground beneath the six youths crumbling further, their knees buckling under the pressure. Their arms were shuddering, Alicia's sword was vibrating violently, Will had fallen to one knee, Helen was kneeling on both. Tears of pain and exertion were streaming down Elliot's face, Claris' hands felt like they were on fire…Astoria just weathered it all, showing no outward signs of exhaustion, only fierce determination.

But even she knew…if this went on for even one more minute…they would fail.

"…**Ka…."**

A voice echoed through their ears. The roaring energy slowly becoming silent. Almost as one, they blinked in confusion.

"**...me…"**

Even Wiseman was confused. He heard a voice, but could not see where it was coming from. His laughter had stopped slowly, as his confusion slowly morphed into uncertainty.

"…**ha…"**

Who was it? The voice sounded familiar…but they couldn't place it. What was…this feeling? As if something was…different?

"…_**me**_**…"**

Something rang in the minds of two. Slowly, they turned around, eyes searching. A flare of light caught their attention, their eyes widening as they saw who was behind it.

"…_**Mom**_...?"

* * *

><p>She watched them fight. From the very beginning, taking to the air, bringing the fight to that bastard Lord of Nightmares. She cheered, screamed, gasped, all as each second went on, as the fight continued. Seeing Mikoto, Seth's self-proclaimed daughter, appear from nowhere, and give the children a chance to win…<p>

But it wasn't enough. She watched them struggle, watched them band together as one force to try to stop the wave of destruction Wiseman had unleashed towards the city. Even the energies coming off of the inhabitants, unconsciously lending their power to the teens, was not enough. Tears slid down her face as she realized, it wouldn't be enough. They couldn't stop it. Even boosted by the city, even strengthened by the mysterious Tower, they couldn't stand against millennia of power, waiting to be released.

They were holding on…but they needed more. Just a bit more.

She almost gave in. She almost let go and accepted that they'd lost. When something Seth said rang through her mind.

"…_You've got the strongest Ideya I've ever seen in an adult. Not all of them…your hope's weak, purity is looong gone. But intelligence is fairly bright. You've got courage to spare, probably where Claris and Tori get it from…but the biggest shocker to me…"_

"…_was?"_

"…_you've still got __**Growth**__. Growth…the Ideya that represents one who knows and understands how to change to fit a situation. It is…in my opinion, one of, if not __**the **__key component, to Comprehension."_

She saw her children. Saw them struggle. Saw Astoria stand tall, refusing to even show a single sign of weakness. She clenched her fist, wanting nothing more than to be of use. _Knowing _she could do something.

_I still hold the Ideya of Growth…I've not lost that. I can change…I can mold…I can become whatever I want. And right now…I want to help!_

She stepped forward, feeling a rush of _something_ wash over her. She closed her eyes, focusing her thoughts.

If someone were to be seeing her at this moment, the woman atop a broken building, they would see her surrounded by a shimmering wispy outline of red, green…and black.

She opened her eyes, seeing two small colored spheres rise up from her palms. She took a deep breath, raising her hands together until they were just inches apart. The two orbs seemed to converge into one another, becoming a single, crackling sphere. Unconsciously, her mouth formed shapes as her vocal chords vibrated, creating syllables. She felt the energy pulse through her, her thoughts solely on helping her daughters, helping all of those children win.

She pulled her hands back, cupped together as if trying to form a snow-ball. The energy compressed, buckling, crackling, but holding. She felt the warmth of the energy between her palms, an echoing feeling of acceptance, of understanding.

For a moment, she swore she felt the gentle, loving touch of her husband, once again.

A single tear slid down her face, the energy intensifying into a shimmering violent glow.

She thrust her hands forward.

* * *

><p>"<em><strong>HAAAAAAAAAAA!"<strong>_

With the sound of a massive cannon going off, an _**enormous **_beam of pure essence burst from between the woman's fingertips. The whole world watched as the unexpected blast of power ripped through the air, slamming into the combined waves of the children and Wiseman, before beginning to push Wiseman's blast back towards him. The Lord of Nightmares was _shocked_ that this human **adult** managed to mold the essence of the realm to her desires. That shock distracted him long enough for him to lose his advantage in the struggle.

The children were shocked too. Hell even the other parents were shocked. Katrina Sinclair had now performed a picture perfect _Kamehameha _wave. Will and Helen pushed themselves back to their feet, Elliot shook his head, Alicia steadied her blade, Claris solidified her focus. And Astoria?

She just smiled.

"**ONE MORE TIME!**"

Together, as one, joined by the love, focus and power of Katrina, the group of teens pushed everything they had into one final wave. Wiseman cried out in shock and pain as the fused energies of his own attack, pushed back and merged with the powers of seven existences were thrown back into his face. He gave an unholy screech as his body was consumed, the robes disintegrating as his very essence was consumed, the blasts shooting through him and into the sky. As the energy and light faded, sparks and sparkles of power echoing through the air, a soft silence descended over the city.

Before it was replaced by a loud roar of many voices crying out in joy.

Katrina dropped to her knees, tears streaming down her face, lips turned into an exhausted smile.

_I did it…did you see? I kept our children safe…_

_Just like I promised…_

Mikoto descended to the group, smiling softly.

* * *

><p>The air buckled. A blast of pure black ripped through the sky.<p>

Smiles were dropped, replaced with looks of horror. The blast was heading right for Katrina.

A dark shape had appeared, its form that of a giant four legged beast, eyes all over its pitch black body. It gave a roar of fury, of triumph. It would not be destroyed! It would return more powerful than before! The darkness of humanity gave raise to it, and it shall remain!

The blast tore towards the woman, who had no time to react.

"…_**Izanami.**_**"**

An explosion.

The blast was stopped.

And floating above the lake that Twin Seeds Park was built around…

Was Seth.

The corrupted form that was Wiseman roared in hatred. Seth began to speak before anyone else could.

"I've got a question for you, Wiseman. Just a quick one. Then we can get on with this."

The man-beast growled. This human and his questions.

"Have you ever played 'Persona 3'?"

It growled in confusion. Was that some sort of mental game? A form of trying to convert one's mentality into three segments?

"Yeah, didn't think so." Seth pulled something out of his pocket. A pistol.

"You see, in it, there was a group of high-school kids. They had to protect the world from creatures born of people's negative emotions, but they only were able to deal with these creatures in an hour that took place between twelve midnight, and twelve-oh-one. Very strange. But see these kids could manifest aspects of their own personalities, 'persona', in order to combat these creatures. But how they did it was very interesting. Excluding three specific characters, every single 'persona user' had to use an 'evoker' which was in the form of a pistol, just like the one I'm holding. But you see, how they summoned was even more interesting. The majority of them, would place the barrel at the side of their head, just like this…"

He did so. Closing his eyes, and getting a soft smile.

Mikoto blinked, confused. Something was wrong…something was…off. Her eyes widened in shock.

"…daddy…?"

"And then, they'd pull the trigger."

"DA-

**BANG**

* * *

><p>"<em>The Lord of Dreams is a Timeless existence."<em>

_A timeless existence…_

_Only one who was without Time…one who had no hold over the mortal realm…could truly become Lord. One would have to be above and beyond mortal comprehension…mortal existence._

_But even if I'm not meant to be the Lord…and yet even if I am…_

"_That girl…she is tied to you. You two are two segments of one soul, one existence. She truly is Your Daughter, in everything. As long as you exist, she will not be able to touch her full strength, she will refuse it."_

_Mikoto…_

_I'm sorry…_

* * *

><p>They all watched in horror as a spray of red lanced from the opposite side of his skull. The smile never leaving his face, his body slowly dropping downward, arms going limp, pistol falling out of his grip.<p>

The gunshot echoed through their heads, even the corrupted form of Wiseman was surprised at the turn of events.

Mikoto had closed her eyes, tears running down her cheeks. As a soft splash echoed, his body hitting the water below…she took a deep breath, trying to steady herself.

Seth…was dead.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **None of you saw this coming.

But it's not over. Not yet.

Wiseman's still alive…and now they have to deal with him _without _Seth. **At all**.

**D&S Master: **In a sense you're right. He wasn't awake at all. It was all subconscious, just like with manifesting Chaos. As for where he went? Well we see here.

Bet you werent expecting him to actually _die _though.


	18. Child of Light

"What just happened?"

The entire Promyvion was rocked by an impossibility. An _earthquake_ had occurred.

"His thread…it's…it's stopped." A blonde woman spoke.

"What?"

"It's _stopped_! It just…stopped weaving!" She yelled at her sisters.

"Ok wait, hold on." Spoke a black haired woman. "Before that, what happened?"

"The others…those six humans. They fought the Lord of Nightmares, while we were talking with _him_. _He _went back. And as he did, they beat the Lord of Nightmares. A seventh person with Growth showed up. I think it was one of the humans' mothers. And the woman did a _picture perfect _Kamehameha."

"Huh…how the hell'd she do that?" The blue haired woman asked.

"When the Lord of Nightmares crossed over, the two worlds had merged into one, remember? She…gained…a strong enough desire to want to help. And she focused all of her love and memories into it. She seems to have done some soul searching at multiple times in her life. Out of all the surrounding adults, she was the only one who held onto actual _active _Ideya." The blonde explained.

"So she pulled a Son Goku…how?"

"By turning knowledge into power." The black haired woman spoke. "What next?"

"Well…the Lord of Nightmares was defeated…but then I saw a Knot form in his thread. And when I unraveled it, rather than _ending _like it should have, it remained. He came back. Immediately."

"That shouldn't be possible though! I _cut _his thread! Right there! I cut it!" The blue haired woman exclaimed.

"Yes…but his thread latched onto something else. He lived because he had one anchor left."

"Impossible." The violet haired woman spoke finally. "I made sure of that. He _has _none left."

"He does. He turned the Nightmare itself into his final anchor."

Silence.

"…so…that means…"

"I don't know what it means." Spoke the blonde. "But…he came back, and tried to kill the woman. Well then _he _showed up…and then a minute or two later his thread stopped weaving itself…in fact…well…see for yourselves."

She held up the strand of string that represented the current life of the one they knew as Zero.

His thread…was cut.

"…I didn't do that. I _know _I didn't do that." The blue haired woman said.

"It happened on its own."

"Alright…so why did we feel a damn Earthquake in a place that isn't even on land?" The blue haired woman was growing frantic.

"Because Mikoto has triggered."

Eyes widened all around. They _knew _that little girl. And they knew her power. Her _true _power.

"You…you mean…"

"Yes. The Tower is now fully activated. She has taken complete control."

"Think he's boned?"

The black haired woman shook her head. "I don't know. I've seen the worlds where he won. Not this battle, but others, earlier ones. They aren't pretty. You'd be out of a job Clotho. People dying almost immediately after gaining enough comprehension to properly dream…you'd get to weave maybe three years worth of their lives before Atropos would have to cut their threads. A lot of souls got recycled…to the point where their world would overload. Would go back to the time of demons and magic…but there would be so few people able to fight the nightmares off. In the end, humanity gets wiped, no matter what."

"_He _doesn't come back at all?"

The woman shook her head. "He never makes it back to the Dream to reclaim his place. Mikoto never wakes to try to anchor him… Those times…those worlds don't exist more than a century after Wiseman takes over the Dream."

"…then we gotta hope Miko's got enough in her to wipe this bastard."

* * *

><p><strong>A<strong>

**R**

**T**

**O**

**N**

_**Resonance Reaction…**_

_**Import Error…Chanting Anomaly…System Reboot.**_

_**Chanting Anomaly.**_

_**Import Error. System Rebo-Cancelation.**_

**E**

**L**

**I**

**C**

**O**

_**Singing Hall Reaction. Authentication System Start…**_

_**Analysis Impossible. Warning.**_

_**Warning. Warning. Warning. Warning. Warning. Warning. Warning. Warning.**_

* * *

><p>Deep within the bowls of the Tower formed a light. A light that grew until it became blinding. All manner of glyphs began appearing along the walls, the grey void that housed Mikoto for so long, converting into the shape of a shrine, seven stone pillars, each with a glowing light atop them, surrounding a single crest.<p>

On computer screens all over the world, words began to scroll.

* * *

><p><strong>Files removed. System reboot.<strong>

**ID Log on. Registration.**

**Registration.**

**Artificial Intelligence Boot.**

**Consciousness Awakening.**

**Measures installed. Confirmation.**

**Completion.**

* * *

><p>They all stared. Silence reigned. Even the demonic form of Wiseman was in shock.<p>

_**Mikoto's body became less transparent.**_

"That…that was…supposed…to happen…right? He's…he's gonna get back up right?" Will asked, uncertain.

Astoria's eyes blanked over.

No. that _wasn't _supposed to happen.

_**Tears rolled down her face, before she scrunched up in a focused frown. Her body was tingling.**_

A loud, roaring laugh from Wiseman made them all jump. Oh _glorious _day! The biggest thorn in his side was _gone!_ The one person who could _possibly _pose a problem went and blew his own head off! He'd had no clue what was _supposed_ to happen, but he knew whatever it was, it would have been annoying to deal with. But now, the boy had gone and screwed up! He turned his joy filled gaze upon his victims.

And then the smile left his multiple eyes.

A soft glow caught the others' attention. The little girl, black hair framing her face, head bowed, hands balled into fists, began shimmering with a silent light.

"Daddy…" She whispered.

Her body became engulfed in a halo of multiple lights. Gentle glows forming into near-solid orbs floating around her body. Even Wiseman was shocked that the girl was producing _Ideya_.

"…you _idiot…_"

She took a deep breath, knowing what was to come. Knowing what he did.

He _didn't _mess up. In all techincalities, he performed _exactly _what was supposed to happen. As something deep within her heart began to echo the faint beats of a presence deep within the Tower, off in the realm of Nightopia, her body began to lift off the ground. Slowly, as she rose into the air her legs bent, knees rising, arms wrapping around them as her knees met her chest. She curled into a ball, the seven Ideya spiraling around her before slamming into her form. Her body became a solid orb of shimmering light, as it rose higher into the sky.

A heavy pulse of force washed over everyone present. Those beholding the sight from the various places around the world gasped, as a wave of pure light ripped from the orb, engulfing everyone.

The sound of multiple voices calling out, singing unintelligible words rang through the entire planet. Music filled their ears as chanting echoed through their hearts, as if the world were celebrating **The Greatest Jubilee.**

The light was blinding. When they all uncovered their eyes, they found themselves high in the sky, above the Earth itself. Unknown to them, the sky had opened up, everyone staring into the heavens could see their plane of existence, a strange field, known only as a **Reality Marble.** For them, they were all within an orb of transparent light, what looked like chains revolving and rotating around it. The light beneath their feet felt solid, yet rippled as if they were stepping upon water.

In the direct center of the orb was a bright silver light, one that shimmered and buckled violently, before exploding outwards.

"Wooooow…" Was all Alicia could say.

"She's…beautiful…" Helen admired.

From within the orb emerged Mikoto. Taller, older, body of that of a beautiful woman, hair black as night, shimmering like the finest silk. Body covered in streams of pulsing grey lines, loops, spirals, circles, angles…all manner of shape was upon her naked form. Behind her spread out fourteen glowing, feather-shaped prismatic wings. Behind _that _was a floating glyph. It was hers, only different. Rather than a sword in the center, there was a large ringed cross, stabbed into an infinity symbol. There was also a second ring of hymmnos lettering, surrounded by the original first.

Before their eyes, as Mikoto's own glowing grey orbs opened up, words appeared in the sky.

**Tower Guardians**

**Child of Light**

_**Mikoto**_

* * *

><p>Immediately Wiseman attacked. From a gaping almost draconic maw, launched an orb of darkest night. The orb slammed into the glowing girl and dissipated harmlessly into wisps of darkness.<p>

Suddenly the wisps shuddered, forming into jagged arrows that launched right back towards Wiseman. He was unable to react in time, murky dark body pierced by his own assault. Shocked, confused, the demonified Wiseman roared in irritation, a gale of lightning ripping from the multitude of horns upon his head. Only to meet the same barrier that Mikoto used before. The electrical assault slammed into a prismatic wall, comprised of a multitude of hexagons.

Elliot's eyes widened. "Is that an A.T. Field?"

Silently, the angelic woman motioned towards Wiseman, who buckled and found himself rocketing backwards from an invisible pressure that had slammed into his chest. A loud **CRACK **echoed through the air as he was sent flying into one of the far 'sides' of the spherical plane Mikoto had created. Groaning, he barely stumbled out of the way of a gigantic lance made of pure light, one that exploded, throwing him forward into an SUV sized ball of molten lava.

A screeching agonized roar bellowed from his throat as the gales of burning tore at his body. The agony turned to hatred, as a beam of condensed light ripped from his maw. The beam was splintered, not upon the barrier, but upon a nearly impossible to see distortion of air that cleaved through it as if it were wet paper. Black gunk and fragments of flesh were torn off of Wiseman's face, as the crescent shaped wave ripped through his body.

Six strange snowflake-like patterns appeared around Mikoto, revolving vertically. They all seemed to shudder before they spun rapidly, becoming near-solid walls of blue-white light that lanced through the air, piercing Wiseman multiple times, before turning into thick silver chains. Mikoto gestured gently, and suddenly the chains were set alight with gales of violet colored electricity. His howls of pain echoed through the skies.

* * *

><p>"Incredible…just simply incredible…" the woman muttered.<p>

Katrina was exhausted from her reenactment of the single most famous energy attack known to mankind. When that orb was heading for her, she thought she was done. And when Seth killed himself…her heart broke. Before Mikoto became whatever she just became, she saw the light fade from Astoria's eyes. She knew, at that moment, she'd lost her daughter, just like she'd lost her husband. It no longer mattered if they defeated Wiseman, or if they all became trapped in an endless nightmare.

As Katrina wiped her tears, tears shed for her little girl, knowing the girl would never be the same, she beheld the _decimation _Mikoto was bringing. Even the combined efforts of all the teens couldn't deal anywhere _near _as much damage to Wiseman as Mikoto was now. The very concept of _existence _was her plaything! Katrina thought it was crazy enough that she'd not only began forming, but _completed _the Kamehameha wave, a thing of _fiction_! But this girl was throwing _everything_ around like it was **nothing** to her!

When she had been told that Mikoto was even more powerful than Seth, stronger than Alicia, even _Wiseman _would be nothing to her…she didn't believe it. But now, seeing this girl, this…_angel_ before her…

Even when she'd seen Seth's wings, the day they brought Alicia back, she didn't make any sort of heavenly connection. But now…there was no doubt. Mikoto was not an angel…she was a **Goddess**.

Even Katrina gaped in amazement, as a five-point wave of black energy was absorbed into a spiraling distortion of air, and _spat _back out at Wiseman, the one who'd sent it in the first place.

_This _was the true power of Nightopia. _This _was the power that lay deep within their sister realm.

* * *

><p>The angelic woman now seemed to stretch, body giving off an immense flare of light.<p>

And finally, she spoke.

"**cEzLYE quoga! cEzLYE shefra! EXEC_HYMME_NIGHTOPIA/." **_(I become the world's end. I become the world's creation.)_

The shadowed demon that Wiseman had become flinched at the spoken words. He knew what they meant, but did not know what was to come. Ever since that blasted child turned into that…that _angel_, he'd been completely decimated. And now it seemed as if she were to finish him off.

"**Hajimari..."** _(the beginning…)_

The orb around them darkened, the enclosed space Mikoto summoned upon her transformation shifting its form. Light appeared at the center, a massive spiraling wall of glowing mists and shimmering illuminations forming before Wiseman. A small orb-like shape seemed to be at the center, the very core of things.

"…**soshite **_**owari**_**!" ** _(of the end)_

The orb began to buckle, streams of light erupting from its form. The entire wall seemed to shiver and shake, distortions of light and gas forming around it. Until finally, it exploded.

"**BIG BANG!"**

A massive pressure, an unfathomable force slammed into Wiseman. He was thrown against the far 'wall' of the enclosure, pinned there by cosmic forces beyond compare. Mikoto had summoned the very concept of the beginning of the universe, a temporal manipulation far beyond Wiseman's comprehension. The very power unleashed ripped at his shadowy body, pieces of rotted flesh chipping away, strands of black mist spewing outward from holes in his shape.

But she wasn't done.

She flared again, a silhouette of her form, arms spread wide, eyes closed appeared in the minds eyes of all who were watching. All of planet Earth beheld the girl's final assault.

* * *

><p>"<strong>Kokuu ni chiriyuki, kyomu e kiesare!" <strong>_(Fall into the void and disappear into nothingness)_

Strands of orange-red energy lanced into his form as the world around him had turned black. His flesh bubbled from each stream that passed by him, an impossible heat searing his body. The strands intensified, as it became revealed that Wiseman was trapped between two **MASSIVE **spheres of flame. The two spheres grew closer and closer, the incomprehensible searing heat generated by the two, tearing into Wiseman's flesh, penetrating deep into his very concept.

"**DUEL THE SUN!"**

A flash of light.

* * *

><p>"<strong>Rudou no mizu yo." <strong>_(O flowing waters…)_

Suddenly, the heat vanished, replaced with a biting cold. Nerves shot, Wiseman barely registered that now he was underwater. In seconds, a heavy pressure slammed into his body, as the water seemed to condense and converge around him, repeatedly sending crushing shockwaves into his body.

"**AQUARIUS SPHERE!"**

Another flash of light, as his eyes rolled upwards, seeing the surface begin to break.

* * *

><p>"<strong>Kouhai no kaze yo…" <strong>_(O desolate winds…)_

Now, Wiseman found himself floating in front of a strange green orb. From the corner of his eyes, he saw a series of multicolored lights launch from behind the unusual sphere. Before he could move, the lights slammed into his form, surrounded by a shell of white, in the form of gigantic comets, but leaving trails of prismatic shine. The lights tore through his body, ripping more and more of his flesh and bone. It wasn't searing pain that lanced into him however. His body felt as if it were being buffered, shredded by sharp, tiny nails.

"**PRISMIC STARS!"**

The lights converged and flared heavily behind him.

* * *

><p>"<strong>Hoshi no hazama de onore wo haji yo…"<strong> _(Rue your fate amongst the stars)_

Immediately after converging, the prismatic lights formed into a single white sphere. The sphere quickly began to pulse, sending heavy shockwaves of rippling light slamming into Wiseman's already horribly battered body. Each pulse tore through him like a lightsaber cutting through flesh, echoing outward repeatedly through over twenty massive flares. He could do nothing but weather the assault, the grasp of the Child of Light being beyond impossible to break.

"**BRIGHTEST GATE!"**

The light orb exploded in a final wave.

* * *

><p>"<strong>Genshi no honoo yo…"<strong> _ (O Ancient flames)_

The light cleared, and he found himself once again in the darkness of space. But that did not last. As with before a massive wall of burnination began ripping at him, tendrils of flame and power grasping at his form, searing flesh. Only unlike before, it came solely from a single giant ball of fire, rivaling the size of earth's solar system. In seconds he was consumed by the flames.

"**EXPLOSION NOVA!"**

The massive star collapsed in upon itself.

* * *

><p>"<strong>Tokoyo no yami yo…"<strong> _(O perpetual darkness)_

The star's collapse gave way to a shuddering void of raging black and violet wisps. A heavy pull upon his body drew him towards the core, and as he got closer, his form crashed upon what seemed to be a barrier of pale violet energy. Massive, planet-sized chunks of stone and frost began flying towards the spatial collapse at impossible speeds. Many of them slammed into his body, breaking bones, tearing remainders of flesh, punching holes through his crumpled defenses. He tried to resist, but could not, and was pulled into the center of the massive gravitational distortion.

"**MAXWELL ROAR!"**

As he fell in, the make-shift black hole collapsed.

* * *

><p>"<strong>Horobi no toki da." <strong>_(It's time to die)_

He found himself in the center of the black hole, past the Event Horizon, in a world that no living being had ever explored. The space around him was grey, tinged with black spots everywhere. A gigantic void of dark blue energy ripped into place beneath him, its very presence tearing further at his form. His hands were crushed, before they were ripped off, legs shattered where they were. Eyes popped, skin ripped off revealing dark muscle and bone beneath. His very conceptual essence was being purged.

"**DIMENSIONAL MATERIAL!"**

And finally…all became dark.

But it wasn't _over_.

* * *

><p>"…<strong>Was yea erra chs ruinien sos morto yor."<strong> _(I am eternally glad to become destruction so you can die.)_

They all felt it. Everyone inside the sphere, everyone watching from within the Marble. They felt her pleas, her cries. As one, they focused their minds on a single desire, Ideya flaring to life around them, gathering around Mikoto's glowing body.

"…**sos infel. Sos manaf. Sos ciel."** _(For the sake of love. For the sake of life. For the sake of the world.)_

Everything was dark…until the depths of space could barely be seen. A soft light illuminated the heavens, coming from behind the wall of black. As the moments went by, a shining light became prominent, a glowing beautiful blue orb slowly revealing itself, the light of a nearby star illuminating its surface. Mikoto had called forth the final assault of this configuration of impossibility. The song of Nightopia itself, the power of the Dream and the Nightmare working together as one.

"…**chs Infel Phira. Bautifal sphaela chs lusye oz endia." **_(become the Seed of Love. Beautiful world become the light of the end.)_

She poured all of their hopes and wishes, their thoughts and desires into this final strike. The maneuver that would hopefully put an end to the battles, bring peace to her home. She, like the others, wished to bring honor…reason…_meaning _to Seth's sacrifice, for that's what it was. He allowed himself to die, so Mikoto would gain his Ideya, fully manifest in the physical realm, and access her full might against Wiseman. This went beyond all form of rule or regulation. This was for the sake of all three realms. The sake of existence itself.

"**cEzYE quoga! cEzLYE hynne!"** _(I become your end! I become this world's voice!)_

The blue star flared.

"_**BLUE EARTH!"**_

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Shooort short short. I hate that it's short but really there's little I can do without giving certain things away.

Wiseman's been pwnt. Or has he? I dunno.

Tales Of fans will recognize the final configuration Mikoto used. And yes. Seth is STILL dead. No miraculous rebirth for him!

**D&S Master**: Katrina doing the Turtle Ball Wave wasn't exactly what I had planned. Honestly my original plan was for **Claris **to do that (seeing as she had Beowulf, and a certain someone else with Beowulf from another story of mine did it), Astoria to channel Kira and do an **Imari**, or **Gran Rey Cero**, and others to do whatever. Instead, my final plan was for Claris to do a Shinku Hadouken, and Astoria to do a Messatsu Gou Hadou, while Alicia did a Lost Fon Drive, and the others matched elements. Helen with Wind, Will with Earth, Elliot with Ice. Then I thought, it wouldn't REALLY be enough with just those six. Not against Wiseman when he's pulling out all the stops, and just as desperate as they are.

So Katrina, a martial artist with access to Growth, Knowledge and Courage. Re-formed her own Desire, directed it, formed it, took a memory of an attack, adapted to the fused worlds, and spat a Kamehameha.

Plus. TELL ME that's not the last thing a bad-guy wants to hear? A random opponent, off in the distance, charging a Kamehameha. That's like instant "you lose" button right there.


	19. Champion

The light cleared. Particles of dust, fragments of essence began to fade.

And yet the twisted shape of Wiseman was still present. Broken, mal-formed…that which was once a near-demonic shape looked now as if parts of it were ripped off.

"No…" Mikoto whispered, shocked. Form slowly reverting to that of the little girl wearing a red dress. She'd thrown everything she had into that. And it was useless. Why? Why did he still exist? Why couldn't she purge him? The power of the Dream itself wasn't enough…then what _would _be?

**"Do YoU nOt sEE? I aM ImmOrtAL!"**

The others began to step back, fear covering their hearts. Now they could all see. It was pointless. They all began to believe it impossible for victory to be grasped.

Save one.

**"aS loNg As ThERe is NiGHTOpiA, i SHalL foRevEr REmAIN! I AM thE LoRD oF NiGHtMareS! I am EtErnaL!"**

Broken, battered, fragmented…spewing unfathomable liquids and shimmers of light, the shadowy body that was Wiseman still remained, clinging to life. Slowly, they watched in horror as those liquids, those pieces, began to graft back upon him. Within nary but a few moments, he had returned to his normal self.

**"There is nothing you can do to destroy me. I am the True Ruler of this realm, of ALL realms! You, are all NOTHING!"**

Wiseman began to laugh hysterically, ensured of his ultimate victory against the very forces of Nightopia itself. Mikoto began to despair, not even the pure essence of the Dream could destroy him, then what could?

_I get it now. I know what has to happen._

Movement, caused Wiseman to stop laughing.

_We were right…thinking he had anchors. But we didn't know…he must have anchored himself to the Nightmare. He made that entire realm…his link. We would have to destroy the Nightmare itself…but…that would throw the entire Dream Realm into Chaos…_

_But…there __**is **__one thing…_

"S-Story?" Claris blurted out, seeing her sister begin to move.

Astoria began to slowly step forward, head bowed. She gently rose her arms, shrugging off the vest that Seth gave her. As she stepped, she kicked at the heels of her sandals, letting them drop to the 'ground'. Everyone stopped to watch what the girl was doing, confused beyond belief. Those watching from the Earth, seeing the battle for their very existences through every possible reflective surface, blinked as the girl pulled at the bottom of her shirt, lifting it over her head and throwing it aside.

She heard the words to one of her favorite songs in her mind, remembering what Seth said Mikoto told him about the tower, how it could be controlled by Song, from time to time. Music filled her ears, mind linking words and sounds to impulses, desires.

_**You don't know, how much I hate  
>All the things you do<br>T-R-O-U-B-L-E  
>That is what you are made of<strong>_

"Story!"

What the hell was she thinking? The girl was randomly _stripping _out of nowhere! With a slide of her fingers, Astoria's shorts slid off her legs, leaving her wearing only her bra and panties, with the pendant Seth gave her. A swipe of her hand, and _magically _the girl's panties seemed to suddenly get sliced at the sides, slipping right off.

But something _else _was going on.

_The pure power of both Dream and Nightmare wasn't enough…but of course it wouldn't be. This isn't an outside force we're dealing with. We're dealing with something that's linked itself to one half of the power she released._

A single thought, a single notion.

_But I've got it. I know what to do, how to take him down. And it makes sense. He __**is **__immortal as long as the Nightmare exists…_

She knew what she had to do. She knew the only way to stop him.

_You were right…the bad guys always end up losing their cool. I know what it is that needs to happen…I know how to beat him. And I can do it._

As the girl began to walk closer to the 'center' of the field that Mikoto had created to do battle with Wiseman in, soft glowing lights began shimmering around her form. As the panties slipped off, the lights became six glowing Ideya. Mikoto blinked in confusion and surprise. Something was _off _here. What was going on? And yet, in the back of her mind, she felt like she knew. An instinct, knowledge from times past began to run through her brain, eyes widening as a previously unfathomable possibility now became _real_.

All as Astoria began to give off a soft grey glow.

_**Hell is…**_

…_**where you…**_

…_**belong…**_

Slowly the girl reached back, unclasping the final article of clothing she was wearing. Slipping her bra off, she tossed it aside, before taking a deep breath.

The grey glow began to lighten, wisps of light wafting off and starting to gather in front of her. The other Ideya surrounding her began to rise like a halo, slowly revolving around her in a counter-clockwise circle.

It was fitting, really, what was going on in her head. A single idea that would mean the end of everything…

But she'd still do it. She loved him. And yet he still died…

But she felt him. She felt _him_, that moment. That moment he kissed her. She felt his desire to survive at any cost. His desire to protect that which was vital to his survival.

His desire…to protect her. Anyone who felt that, would ask: why? Why would he then come back only to kill himself completely? What was the point?

_I know why you did it now. You did it to give us a chance…that's so like you. And your gambit paid off. Mikoto wasn't enough…but she did what she needed to. She revealed his true weakness. The only way to take him down. I'll finish this…for you Seth. You…we…we were never part of this war…not to begin with. But we were pulled into it. Both of us._

Slowly, almost reluctantly, the girl rose her arms to the skies, as the silver glow flared, a crystal of light appearing in its center, before forming into a familiar silver orb.

**"**…**even with another awakened potential, there is nothing you can do to stop me! I am immortal!"**

The others were just as shocked. Now Astoria gave off the glow of Comprehension. But it still didn't make sense to them.

_**Heaven…**_

…_**Cannot…**_

…_**wait for you…**_

But then Mikoto understood. Her eyes widened, and she gave an audible gasp as Astoria's hands reached to the heavens, silver Ideya resting between them. She knew that position, she knew what the girl was about to do.

_It wasn't __**our **__fight…but it became that. And you died…so we could live. I don't get how or why…why Mikoto couldn't…or maybe __**wouldn't **__use her full power without you gone. Maybe it was a last ditch effort thing…a Last Word. But…you're gone…and it's up to me._

For it was something she herself had done once before.

_I know you won't hate me for this. You'd do it yourself. It makes perfect sense. I'm doing what you did…_

_Morto…sos manaf…_

And for the first time since Seth killed himself…she spoke.

**"**_**ALTHENA'S LIGHT SHINE FORTH!"**_

_**So close your eyes & make a wish  
>Today's the day that I am fighting you<br>It's my turn to be  
>A champion<strong>_

A massive light erupted from between her fingers. Everyone, even Wiseman was forced to shield their eyes as the impossibly blinding light of the Seventh Ideya covered the skies.

At the center of the island floating just off the edge of the Dream Gate, the Tower activated once again. A mighty rumble echoed through the very _essence _of both dream and nightmare, skies of Nightopia turning a multicolored hue, an aurora of color and light shimmering across the heavens. The tower itself shuddered, pieces of dirty stone and gravel beginning to chip away. Strands of light began racing up the sides, tracing themselves in odd patterns. Suddenly, the stone exploded outward, revealing a reflective silver spire. The giant lance of a building seemed to glow in the radiant sky light. The tip of the tower seemed to shimmer, before a ring of light expanded outwards.

At the very top of the tower, a light flickered into existence, before forming into the Glyph of Chaos that Seth had on his bedroom wall, dedication to the Goddess Tiamat.

The glyph shimmered for a few moments, before shattering, becoming a glowing orb much like the one radiating light back in the enclosed space. Streams of dirt and dust began rising from the ground around the tower, leaves beginning to fly off trees, all of it spiraling upwards towards the center of the orb. The chains holding the six surrounding islands around the tower began to fray and shatter, becoming particles of light that spiraled up towards the orb. The band of light slowly rose, encasing the orb like some form of brace. The light shuddered, splitting to reveal a ring of symbols, that if anyone were to be seeing it, would know to be hymmnos.

**NIGHTOPIA: ADDR 0x114:9792:8831 :: EXEC_with_METHOD_DIVISION=ZERO**

_**So shut your eyes & count to three  
>I'll take you down &amp; you'll be smithereens<br>It's my chance to be  
>A champion<strong>_

Each realm within Nightopia shuddered.

Splash Garden, Mystic Forest, Frozen Bell, Stick Canyon, Soft Museum, Spring Valley…

Within the heart of each of these realms, stood an Ideya Palace. And at the center of each Palace, shimmered a soft light.

A golden yellow light, shimmering away in Stick Canyon, a symbol in the shape of a triangle with a single vertical line in its center, splitting the two sides in half, and extending past the borders, resembling an arrow, or perhaps a tree, or even a mountain.

A flaming red light, burning the air in Spring Valley, a symbol of an upside down V with two small dots resting at its sides, looking, to some, like a frowning face, and to the keen minded, like rocks flying out of a volcano.

A soft forest green, radiating at Mystic Forest, symbol taking form of two vertical lines on the sides of a circle with a third, smaller vertical line emerging from its bottom. To many, it would resemble the Japanese Kanji for the word "Wind".

A royal, deep, ocean blue, resting at the heart of Splash Garden, the symbol for Water, marked on Seth's wall, fluttering away.

A soft, pure white, at the palace of Frozen Bell, symbol of a small point with four long lines extending like a cross from it, with four more smaller ones at its north east and west, along with the south east and west, the whole arrangement resembling the twinkling light of a far away star.

A dark, disturbing black, tinged with a deep murky violet. A glyph of two strange diagonal lines, as if someone hit back-slash, pressed a spacebar and then hit slash, resting just above a series of V like markings, the entire array looking like the demented smile of a demon.

_**Even if I lose my power  
>I'll get right back up<br>'Cause that's the power,**_

_**Power of love  
>Something you don't have<strong>_

At each Palace in Nightopia, these symbols flared with light, before a pillar of their respective color shot into the sky. As they did, clouds began to gather, before parting, revealing not just an array of multi-colored light, but also revealing the island that the Tower of Dreams stood upon. At its top, the glowing sphere pulsed, sending out a wave of semi-transparent light, one that echoed through the lands.

This pulse was seen even in the Nightmare, where a similar, darker version of the Tower of Dreams stood. Only those who had been around for the initial creation knew the truth, however.

There weren't two towers…

There was only one. One that extended from the heavens of the Dream, to the depths of the Nightmare. The nightmare in truth, was merely an inverted _flip _of the Dream. The Old Ones, even Wiseman's creations saw the wave of light rip through the air, touching base at the very edges of their world…

Peace filled their hearts. A calm understanding. All of them, every creation, from Pian to Maren, Neo to Elder. They all felt the power coming off of the Tower, saw the light, saw the wave. And they felt calmed, they felt filled with peace. No fear, no worry. They knew what was coming, and they were ready for it.

The halo of light echoed throughout the world…Before it began to slowly contract inward.

_**Heaven…**_

…_**cannot…**_

…_**wait for you…**_

Wiseman stared at the shimmering light between Astoria's fingers, strands of energy beginning to waft off of it, gently caressing her naked form. They all beheld the strange power this girl unleashed, releasing energies far beyond even _his _understanding.

But Mikoto knew.

She knew what those four words meant. She knew what it _did_. She knew _why _Astoria stripped bare, before screaming those four words…those four damnable words that she swore never to speak unless all was lost.

_She…is impossible…a contradictory existence…and yet here she is. She went __**back**__. Back, in her mind, to the exact moment she met Daddy…back when she was tied on that table, completely bare for anyone to see all of her. And through doing that…through uniting the very essence of the Dream, the concept of __**Time**__…the power granted by the Seventh Ideya…_

But what Mikoto could not figure out…was _how _the girl knew.

'Althena's light.' A tower command that only She and the Lord were supposed to know of. A tower command that she was to _tell _the Lord of Dreams, after it was official. A tower command that she _didn't _tell Seth before he died, so even though he and Astoria had merged one last time before his suicidal sacrifice, he _shouldn't have known_.

And yet, here it was. The girl calling forth the power of a _God_. Only two beings were to be able to wield this power. Mikoto herself…

And the Lord of Dreams.

_**So close your eyes & make a wish  
>Today's the day that I am fighting you<br>It's my turn to be  
>A champion<strong>_

All over the Earth, whether they were watching or not, whether they were old or young, new-born or on their deathbeds…people began to glow.

The air was filled with reds and blues, hues of yellows and greens, shades of blacks and whites. The Ideya of the Human Race were reacting to the changing circumstances of the Dream.

All over the world, people were yelling words of encouragement, screaming to be saved, begging for the battle to end. Most didn't understand what was happening, just that something _big _was going on, and that one little girl was the _**last **_chance they had at victory. Deep in their hearts, buried within their minds, they knew the significance of this fight, knew the importance of what the girl just did.

But none of them were ready for what would come.

None…except Astoria herself.

_**So shut your lies & count to three  
>I'll take you down &amp; you'll be smithereens<br>It's my chance to be  
>A champion<strong>_

Wiseman didn't like that light. He fully believed he was unstoppable, that no matter what, he would return.

But he wasn't a fool. He wasn't one to take needless chances.

"**I know not what you think you are doing, child. But you shall **_**NOT **_**succeed!"**

A pitch black orb of power formed in front of him. In seconds, as the group yelled for Astoria to move, to do something, it was launched. Mikoto, still tired from her expenditure of all that energy, tried to move, to intercept, but she couldn't. The darkness tore through the rays of light surrounding Astoria's form…

And then was blown back, by a pulse of light that washed over not just the group, not just Wiseman…

But the entire planet.

As the pulse ripped outward, a second wave of light erupted from Astoria's back. In an array of prismatic colors, the light seemed to flower outward, spreading open, forming into fourteen points of radiant color.

Astoria…had grown wings. But not just wings…wings _just _like Mikoto's. The little Goddess' eyes widened in shock, as she _truly _understood what was happening. This went beyond unison, this went beyond shared knowledge or Ideya. This was the result of full, complete _perfect _Synchronicity.

_**S-T-U-P-I-D  
>S-T-U-P-I-D<br>S-T-U-P-I-D  
>You're so stupid, stupid, stupid.<strong>_

_**S-T-U-P-I-D  
>S-T-U-P-I-D<br>S-T-U-P-I-D  
>You're so stupid, stupid<strong>_

The ground began to give way.

The wall of light slowly closing in on itself, a wave of destruction like no other.

The ground shattered, trees were ripped up, water was evaporated, metal was bent and broken. Snow piled up, erased by the light that was closing in upon the tower. Nightopians, Nightmaren, Old Ones, they all just watched as the wall of light slammed into them, bodies being reduced to nothingness, buildings collapsing, signs and statues crumbling to dust.

Clouds parting the border between Dream and Nightmare began to spiral up into the orb above the tower, the very skies themselves being pulled into its grasp. It was as if the light was a black hole, sucking in everything around it, pulling at the very threads of reality that the Dream existed upon, completely decimating the very lands and seas that made up the beautiful realm.

_**So close your eyes & make a wish  
>Today's the day that I am fighting you<br>It's my turn to be  
>A champion<strong>_

_**So shut your lies & count to three  
>I'll take you down &amp; you'll be smithereens<br>It's my chance to be  
>A champion<strong>_

The strange wall of light began to recede, as if a massive halo were collapsing upon itself. Wiseman was in shock as his every attack was simply absorbed into the sphere above Astoria, the girl not even paying attention to his efforts. The group however, did not see his movements, for they were dealing with being enveloped by Astoria's feelings.

Every memory she had of Seth, played in their minds, every word they shared with one another. They all felt the tingle on their lips at the memories of the times they kissed. They felt the terror she felt when he was pinned down by the Wolven, the desperation she felt when they reached for one another, the surprise and admiration of when he stood against the very police themselves. The fear of his near-death against Gulpo, the worry of when his Ideya shattered, the rage towards Wiseman, Reala, and an even greater _hatred _of the people of the city who savagely beat him. The hysterical, insane delight when she found she could bring the Nightmare to life, inflict true physical _terror _upon those whom had hurt him.

But most of all…they felt **Love.**

The love, the adoration, the sheer _passion _she held within her young body towards the young man who saved her life, and would continue to do so. They felt her love spike, when they recalled the memory of when he kissed _her_. Their questions were answered, _finally _they knew what had happened that moment, when he was overcome by his instinct to **survive**. Finally they knew what it was she knew this past week, _why _he did what he did, _why _he killed those people, and vanished. They saw for themselves, what he meant to her, and what she meant to him.

They felt it spark when he saved her. They felt it bloom when he refused to allow harm to come to her. They felt it _explode _when he helped her _push _through her fears, her madness, born from near-mental collapse. They felt every time the two connected, felt the bond between those two beings, those two _people_ that had at one point never known the other existed, brought together by a twist of fate.

And it floored them. All of them.

She wasn't doing this for them. She wasn't doing this to save the world. She wasn't even trying to save her _family_.

She was doing it for him.

_**So close your eyes & make a wish  
>Today's the day that I am fighting you<br>It's my turn to be  
>A champion<strong>_

_**So shut your lies & count to three  
>I'll take you down &amp; you'll be smithereens<br>It's my chance to be  
>A champion<strong>_

None of them saw the many lights now spiraling around Astoria's form, as the wall of energy began to close in upon them. The very Ideya of the _entire_ human race itself rising up, caught in the collapsing halo of light, streams of color whipping around Astoria's body, being pulled into the orb resting between her palms.

Nobody saw Mikoto, fading away, tears streaming down her face, in a wave of silvery shimmers, soft smile on her lips. As she vanished, she too felt the girl's love for Seth.

Nobody saw a small flicker of light appear behind Astoria, spreading vertically like a horizon, a ring growing from what was once its center. Another line, this one horizontal, spread up and downwards, now resembling a cross inside a circle. The lower portion stretched farther, now resembling the Izanami, before six points of light echoed outward from the ring. At the north-west, north-east, south-west and south-east portions of the ring, the lights flickered and morphed into a shape resembling small swords. From the bottom tip of the arrangement formed twin circles, winding around each other before they seemed to narrow slightly, becoming an infinity symbol.

Around the glyph that only those who were seeing from afar could see, was a ring of unintelligible symbols.

**Was yea ra chs ruinien sos infel.**

_**S-T-U-P-I-D  
>S-T-U-P-I-D<br>S-T-U-P-I-D  
>You're so stupid, stupid, stupid.<strong>_

_**S-T-U-P-I-D  
>S-T-U-P-I-D<br>S-T-U-P-I-D  
>You're so stupid, stupid, stupid.<strong>_

The light collapsed in upon itself. The tower shuddering as it was slowly erased from the ground up. The orb of light above the tower giving a final shimmer, nothing but pure, pitch black being its surroundings.

The light shuddered, crackling violently, sparks of blue-white electricity, discharges of energy rippling along its form.

And then it exploded.

_**S-T-U-P-I-D  
>S-T-U-P-I-D<br>S-T-U-P-I-D  
>You're so stupid, stupid, stupid.<strong>_

_**S-T-U-P-I-D  
>S-T-U-P-I-D<br>S-T-U-P-I-D  
>You're so stupid, stupid, stupid…<strong>_

As she heard the last words of the song, tears flowing down her face, eyes flaring a radiant silver, mind repeating the final condemnation, her own internal feelings towards _everything_; the light slowly gathering in between her fingers, the very _existence_ of Nightopia in her hands, Wiseman gave an agonized scream. The others watched, trances broken, as his form writhed and shuddered, cracks appearing along the shadowy flesh, streams of light ripping from his body.

"**No…! What…What haVe YoU DoNE? I…I…I…I…IAAAAAAHGGGGGHHH!"**

He exploded in a rush of dark wisps, faint traces of faded colors trickling down from the space he once occupied.

The halo of light slowly shrinking towards the shimmering sphere between Astoria's hands touched its destination…

The light seemed to fade, as the girl lowered her arms, the sphere resting between her palms. The girl cradled it to her chest, lovingly, as if holding a beloved child.

The sphere buckled, rays of light coming off of it, illuminating her body. The group stared at the glyph floating just behind Astoria's still fluttering wings. Everything seemed to stop.

_I love you._

And then all they knew, was light.


	20. Epilogue

The sun was shining.

Despite her personal feelings, the crisp blue, cloudless skies represented a day of beauty. Once again, Summer Vacation had begun, the girl having graduated out of her highest possible grade. Her continued efforts surprised many, most believing she would crumble under the losses. Her love, her family…

But she pushed on.

She stood before a grave, one marked with a celtic cross, rather than a tombstone. She herself had informed the one who constructed the marker, of what to put on it. A multitude of symbols carved into the ring, ones that meant nothing to any except those who knew the one who was to be represented here. She lay down a bouquet of flowers, sighing to herself, before speaking.

"…it's been two years now. I'm sorry I didn't come visit at all…I've…been trying to keep busy. I brought you some flowers…even though I know they're kinda girly. Lycoris…right? You said that was your favorite flower, if you had to pick one. I got you some…"

The girl brushed a lock of pink hair out of her face.

"I'm eighteen now…tomorrow's the city holiday. That's right…you don't know. Ever since Astoria did what she did, the city's held a day of remembrance. For you…for the children who had been kidnapped up till then…and for the day that we saved the world. I've finally completed high-school. I guess I can see why you never liked it." The girl had no idea what really to say, so she just spoke.

"I hope…wherever you are…Story's not with you. Yeah…she…vanished…a few months after you died. We don't know where she went. She couldn't have gone to Nightopia…cause…I don't think that place exists anymore. I've asked around, not just in the city, but from some of my friends. So have Will and Helen; they're together, by the way. Helen made the first move apparently. When I asked her about it, she said she was inspired by Astoria's forwardness. But yeah…they've asked around too…

Nobody's dreamed in two years. We sleep…we wake. Nothing in between. No images, no sounds…just…it's like closing your eyes and then finding yourself opening them a few hours later. Nothing happens. So we've been wondering what Astoria did. She never told us any more than 'Wiseman's gone. That's all you need to know.' And then she vanished. She vanished not long after they were almost done with the Memorial. Oh right, I almost forgot. They built a replica of the Dream Gate, just inside the ground floor of the TST. It took them almost half a year but they did it. And it's beautiful, it really is. But Astoria…she's gone. Nobody knows where she went. Or even if she's still alive. But I believe. You taught me that…how to hold on to hope.

Actually you _both _taught me that. You and Story. I still can't believe she grew wings. But she did. You should have seen her…she was…beautiful. So was Mikoto for that matter. You never told me your daughter was an _Angel_."

She gave another sigh.

"But nobody believes…nobody but me and mom. She left no note…no nothing…just…vanished. The last place she was seen was near the TST and then she just…disappeared. Took her books and school things with her too. We haven't ruled out kidnapping but…I don't know…I just get the feeling she's fine wherever she is. Or maybe that's just my hopes getting the better of me. Right…the others. Well, Will and Helen, like I said, are together. They're still in school. Elliot has gotten scouted for a pretty nice college basketball team. Story's missing, like you know. Alicia…Alicia's actually been doing pretty well. She's gotten a job as a history tutor. She dualboxes that with a little mini-fashion design online store. Her stuff's gotten a lot of hits actually. And me…well…"

Tears began rolling down her face.

"I miss you…I miss you so much…we'd only known each other for a few months but…those few months were some of the craziest I've ever lived. A constant whirlwind…but…with you around…even though you didn't know _shit _about what was going on or what you were doing…it felt like we could all get out of this alive. But…but you _didn't_. You…you fucking _IDIOT!_ **Why?** Why would you do that? What the hell were you thinking? Was it a mistake? Did you screw up at the last moment, the worst possible time? Was that all part of your plan?"

She dropped to her knees, sobbing. Feelings that had been bottled up, hidden away for years, came spilling out.

"_Why_…Why dammit? Why do you have to be…so damn noble…? Just be selfish! Why did you die…just for us? Don't you dare forget…I _know _you. Not as well as Story but I _know _you! But even knowing you…it's not enough! It still doesn't make sense! I mean, if you came back it would have been one thing but you _didn't!_ You just…just _died_. And left me _alone _again…I barely made it through these last two years…it was hard enough losing you, but when Story went missing too…"

She took a shuddering breath, wiping her tears.

"…the whole world's gone nuts. I think it's the lack of dreaming. I know it's messed with my head a bit too. Astoria saved the world…but at what cost? We don't know…we won't know unless she sends us some sort of message. Hell _you _wouldn't even know, so even if I dived into necromancy or something, like Penelope suggested…you wouldn't know. She did it _after _you died…"

She gave a soft, humorous huff.

"Penelope's been going around wearing your glyph wherever she walks. She and Alicia designed a patch that she sewed on to the back of one of her jackets. It's pretty well made actually. I think she respects you a lot. She's always been the spaciest one of us. Cloud Cuckoolander, I think the Trope is. She fully believes you'll come back some day. And that you'll have a massive harem army with you or something. I think she's secretly hoping to join it."

She shook her head, eyes still tearing, but a soft smile on her face.

"Melissa's doing alright too. She was hit pretty hard when she realized you were dead. And when Astoria went missing…I think something in her snapped. She's been coming over almost every day, learning from mom how to…what did mom say you said…? 'Not die.' I think she's taken to watching some old kung-fu movies though…and reading books on anatomy. Someone tried to talk shit on you last year, in school. I was gonna give the guy a piece of my mind, but she just stood up, silently stepped behind him, jabbed him in like, four random spots, and the guy just dropped. She poked him once more, for good measure. Apparently he's completely unable to get an erection now. And for a few weeks he couldn't move his arms."

She remembered that day. Melissa had just launched an attack, four swift, silent strikes, and the guy crumpled.

"Catherine wants to try to get into the modeling business. I don't really agree with that…it's even crazier than singing is, and singing is _evil _sometimes. Heh…she wants to be in Victoria's Secret. Crazy girl. I don't think I'd have her balls honestly…I mean, I can walk around on the beach in a bikini like anyone else but…to be _purposefully _almost naked…and mostly looked at for sex appeal? Well, I'm probably wrong about that but that's how I think at least…but I know I wouldn't be able to work up the nerve."

She looked at the sky…feeling a rumble in her stomach.

"Ugh…I guess I'm hungry…I haven't…really been eating well…can you blame me? Everything fell apart…and I've barely been holding on. I think mom is _still _surprised about the whole Kamehameha thing. Even _we _never figured out how she did it. She just…did. It was impressive, that much I could say. But…oh, right! I almost forgot. Remember that memorial thing they built? Well apparently, about half a year ago, someone put a seventh door there. Right at the top of the staircase. Nobody knows who did it or why. And the door is…different. The doorway is some weird looking marble that like, shimmers in the light. It's pretty. The door isn't just a door, its two doors, a double-set. Arched, unlike the others, fit specifically for the archway, no doorframe, which I found odd. The doors themselves are like…pale grey. And the handles are like…made of onyx or something. It's really crazy.

Nobody knows where it came from, or who put it there. It was just…blank space one day, and then there the next. It's so strange. I thought maybe it was a sign…but nothing really changed. So…I don't know."

She shook her head, and rose. She patted the flower petals off her pantlegs.

"I guess…I'll get going now. Heh…they were right…it _did _help a bit to come here…and talk to you. Even though you can't hear me. We never _did _find your body…"

She looked away.

"But…I…I hope you're happy…wherever you are…"

* * *

><p>Night.<p>

Almost all were asleep. Some had night jobs, others were insomniacs…but almost all slept in the city of Twin Seeds.

**Twin Seeds Tower**.

A place of Destiny. Claris Sinclair and Elliot Edwards met at this place. Officially, they met here…unofficially, they met in the realm of Nightopia, the Land of Dreams. Together they battled the evil being, Wiseman, a corrupted dreamer who had become the Lord of Nightmares. Their battle took place high in the skies of Twin Seeds, in the area around the Twin Seeds Tower.

Just outside the tower was another event of Destiny. On the roadways along the tower's sides, was a crash. In that crash, three people perished, where there should have been four. It was near the Twin Seeds Tower, that Seth Johnson had been pulled, physically, into the realm of the Dream.

Within the tower, had been built a memorial. A to-scale replica of the fountain, statues and doorways that existed in the heart of the Dream, the Dream Gate. Six doors were aligned on the sides…but there soon came a seventh. Nobody knew where the seventh came from, or who built it, for it appeared long after the memorial was completed.

On this night…the night crossing into the next day, the day when Seth Johnson died to give his 'daughter' the power to destroy the Lord of Nightmares forever…

None beheld it.

But a loud, deep **CLICK** resounded through the tower.

Moments later, the two arched double doors at the highest point of the memorial slowly began to open…

* * *

><p>Twin Dreams Memorial Service.<p>

Every year since the defeat of Wiseman, they would hold this service, on the date he was destroyed. It was a 'holiday' that was observed by all in the city, but only a certain group would truly gather. This time, was different. Since this was the first full year that the Memorial had been completed, it was decided to be a larger event. Tickets sold out quickly, reservations made. At a specific floor, designed to be a large auditorium near the top of the tower, gathered many.

This was a familiar place for Claris and her friends, for this was where Elliot raced down the aisles like a fool, seeing Claris in reality for the first time. The two would always remember that day fondly, for that was the start of a relationship that never lasted, but a friendship that had remained. Yet unlike that day, it was not Claris, who sang. The girl continued to write songs, but she did not sing for the city. She held her songs close to her heart, singing only for her friends and family, if that.

It was another, who took the stage. Things settled, the noise quieted, and the person stepped on stage. They were short, not childishly so, but not tall like most adults either. The cloak was wide and baggy, their features unable to be made out. Those closer to the stage could barely make out shaking objects, locks of hair maybe. But the color could not be discerned. Silence reigned for a few moments…before they heard the sound of a deep breath being taken.

* * *

><p><em><strong>:awe_nudo_la!/: au pass**_

_(Insert Subject Definer)_

_**rYAwA ttu pAswt siann**_

_**gYAnAg ttu pAswt twor sphaela**_

_**jLAzAt sev sAlA/.!**_

_(Salvation, for the sake of seizing the light_

_Acceptance, for the sake of embracing the world of tomorrow_

_They will come true, the moment I believe in them!)_

* * *

><p>Alicia, wearing a black gothic looking dress with multiple silver chains along the lower hem of the skirt, bugged out. That sounded <em>very <em>familiar! On top of which, there were no musicians anywhere, yet drums began to kick up right after the girl, for it _was _a girl, began to sing in some gibberish language. A language that Alicia, and those who were present for the battle against Wiseman recognized. Not understood, but recognized.

* * *

><p><em><strong>xE rre qvag mLYIr doodu<strong>_

_**xE harr fUrl ess ouvyu**_

_**nUi gral meryu ag mItUyy kouf ess balduo**_

_**naave, xE hes sYAaYE/.**_

_(A disaster scorches the land,_

_she trembled, scared within these rotten ruins._

_Losing herself and her memories within the darkness, she simply grieved._

_Thus, he extended his hand to her.)_

* * *

><p>Strange things began to happen around the cloaked girl. Particles of yellowish-grey specks of light began rising from the ground around her, body covered in a soft but defined haze like a summer's heat. The particles began to rotate around the girl, spiraling in multiple directions. Crackles of violet discharge, much like electricity, lanced around the wooden stage around the girl. Light itself seemed to bend as her body gave off an otherworldly glow, the audience staring in shock and amazement at the strange cloaked girl. A wave of…something…washed over everyone present. A sudden feeling of resolved sadness filled their hearts.<p>

* * *

><p><em><strong>xE rre qvag kYIrLYO agan<strong>_

_**xE harr bOaN hiewi daedu sii**_

_**hIlUsIsU kiYI ouwua qejyu ess doodu**_

_**targue, xE hes sYAaYE/.**_

_(The disaster descends once again,_

_countless ominous secrets overflowed out from her._

_She grieved over the land that was stealing countless lives._

_Yet still, he extended his hand to her.)_

* * *

><p>The ground began to shake. Both inside, and outside the tower, rumbles rippled through the earth. Trees swaying, signs wobbling, glass vibrating. As the girl continued her strange chanting song, down at the ground floor of the tower, the Nightopian Memorial began to…change. The orbs being held by the stone statues began to glow, the archways around the oak doors began to shimmer, and the seventh, double door at the top of the small staircase…began to open.<p>

The fountain's waters ceased their flow, ripples appearing on the surface as the crisp clear waters seemed to turn blue, before turning a seafoam green, glowing from within.

The drum beats kept their primal course, as the girl continued to sing. The feeling of sadness changed to one of acceptance, a feeling like though they had done something 'wrong' their reasons were understood. They felt a wordless pain, a fear, but one that was washed away by a feeling of hope and joy. As they felt this, a multitude of colors began to appear around the singing girl, revolving around her as if she were the center of a solar system.

* * *

><p><em><strong>ano hi no omoi wa taisetsuna mono, mamoru tame<strong>_

_(To protect the precious feelings from these days...)_

_**ima koko ni chikaou tatta hitotsu no sekai**_

_**egakitai mirai e susundeiku tame ni**_

_(Let us vow here and now to our only world,_

_so we can go on to the world we wish to create.)_

──_**:/awe_nudo_la!/:**_

_(Salvation, for the sake of seizing the light_

_Acceptance, for the sake of embracing the world of tomorrow_

_They will come true, the moment I believe in them!)_

* * *

><p>The girl rose her arms to the heavens, and the orbs took form into solid colors. Seven colors that became recognized by some of the people. Eyes widened as six of seven rose into the air, and shot off in all directions. The seventh rose as well, but remained between the girl's hands, shimmering brightly.<p>

As the orbs appeared, above the Twin Seeds Tower, formed a gigantic array of light. Shaped in the form of Chaos, the symbol dedicated to Tiamat, created by Seth, it hovered over the tip of the tower like a floating ring. The orbs of light ripped out of the tower, shooting off to all corners of the world, the sky lighting up in an array of shimmering lights like an aurora wherever they passed.

People all over the world watched their sky turn colored. Day, Night, Twilight, it didn't matter; color would fill the sky. A flare of red as a blazing sphere would rip through the air. Like a streak of lightning, the orbs passed over buildings, fields, oceans, bringing the veil of colored essence wherever they went.

Wherever the light touched, people would feel what that girl was feeling. They would hear her words, her song, in their hearts and minds. Radios crackled and warbled, playing the song she was singing, televisions would be covered in her image, computer screens would lock up, unintelligible symbols spelling themselves out on their surfaces.

* * *

><p><em><strong>itsuka kono chikara ga kono koe ga karetemo<strong>_

_**mune wo meguriafureru ketsui wa eien ni**_

_(Although my power and my voice will die off someday,_

_the determination swirling within my heart is eternal.)_

──_**:/awe_nudo_la!/:**_

_(Salvation, for the sake of seizing the light_

_Acceptance, for the sake of embracing the world of tomorrow_

_They will come true, the moment I believe in them!)_

* * *

><p>As a beam of yellow lanced across the sky, a girl with dirt colored hair looked up. Her eyes sparkled in the light, a feeling of familiarity echoing through her chest. She watched the blazing trail of golden yellow, leaving behind a misty veil of multicolored hue in the sky. Her mouth formed words that her brain didn't know.<p>

All over the world, people just like that girl were observing the light. Some were older, some younger. Male, female, it didn't matter. Their hearts would be overcome by the girl's emotions, the girl's song. They would behold the light, a feeling growing deep within their chest, their hearts recalling _something_ that they were missing. Within everyone in the world, it felt like something was sliding into place, as if something they once had was now returning to them.

And many of them echoed the first words of the girl's song.

* * *

><p><em><strong>xE harr yzYAtYE naflansee<strong>_

_**xE hes yzYAtYE oucc**_

_**zz tan, jlj, frl, zzx, ag fAwrYA**_

_**naave, xE hers pEswt iem/.**_

_(She wished for his happiness._

_He wished to be with her at all times._

_Without faltering, being imprisoned, scared, or despairing; she accepted everything._

_Therefore, both of them are still living now.)_

* * *

><p>The silver light between her hands pulsed wildly, but at the same time, in a pattern that set the hearts of those beholding it at ease.<p>

Across the skies, across the globe, people beheld the lights racing through the air, until every inch of the planet was covered.

From space, the astronauts, scientists, and few simple people who gained an opportunity, beheld the globe becoming covered in a multicolored veil. They'd never seen anything like it before. They watched the veil form from six lights that raced across the planet, until the veil covered every inch. And then the lights vanished.

* * *

><p><em><strong>hYAmmrLYA ttu hAwsYAs<strong>_

_**rYAwA ttu pAswt siann**_

_**gYAnAg ttu pAswt twor sphaela**_

_**jLAzAt sev sAlA/.!**_

_(So we can continue onwards, I will sing._

_Salvation for the sake of grasping the light,_

_acceptance for the sake of holding the world of tomorrow,_

_both will become a reality once I believe in them!)_

* * *

><p>The lights returned to the Tower, surrounding the girl, filling her with the feelings of the entire world. They spiraled around her for a few moments, before arranging themselves in a perfect ring. Revolving rapidly, they once again raced upward, out of the tower, before ripping out to the ends of the earth.<p>

Seen only by those in space, they watched the six lights align themselves around six specific points just outside the earth's atmosphere. They all flared with light, as beams of pure essence ripped from their forms, connecting to one-another in a rhombus-like shape. From where they were, the few who were outside the earth, beheld as the lights seemed to form an almost crystalline cage around the planet, before gently fading away.

* * *

><p><em><strong>shinjite aishita monotachi zutto, mamoritai<strong>_

_(I want to protect forever everything I have ever believed in and loved.)_

* * *

><p>The silver light buckled, rays of grey emerging from its form. A feeling of immense pressure washed over the whole world. The light flared, causing the patrons beholding the strange ceremony to cover their eyes. The glyph above the tower seemed to shudder before changing into a completely different form. A ringed cross stabbed into the center of an infinity symbol, flanked by four sword-like shapes acting as wings.<p>

* * *

><p><em><strong>ima koko ni chikaou anata tono sekai wo<strong>_

_**kore kara mirai wo ushiwanai tame ni**_

_(Let us vow here and now to the world where we both live,_

_so we never lose the future that will come to us from now on.)_

──_**:/awe_nudo_la!/:**_

_(Salvation, for the sake of seizing the light_

_Acceptance, for the sake of embracing the world of tomorrow_

_They will come true, the moment I believe in them!)_

* * *

><p>The final words of the song were sung, and as the beats calmed, the light faded. The glyph above the tower flared brilliantly, before exploding outwards from within, the veil seeming to be washed away. Glitters of sparkling multi-colored light surrounded the girl as the silver orb had vanished. Their hearts filled with an unexplainable feeling, knowledge, as if something had changed, an old friend had returned. A feeling of familiarity, something they lost had been returned to them, regained, reclaimed.<p>

The double doors within the Nightopian Memorial slowly closed.

And as the lights faded, people getting out of their seats, clapping and cheering, the girl's cloak seemed to fragment, shattering, revealing her to the world.

* * *

><p>The ceremony came to an end. A small group of people remained in the auditorium, allowed to stay there due to the special circumstances.<p>

Two factions. a single girl standing across from a group. She stared at them, and they at her. Though her gaze was confident, almost haughty, theirs was shocked, amazed.

The girl wore a bright red tube-top covered by a black sleeveless jacket. Unseen, on the back of the jacket was a seven pointed star encased in a ring of symbols, a six swords spread out at the edges like wings, and a seventh, larger sword behind the star. A pair of black shorts reaching to her knees, and a small pair of black sandals completed her outfit. She gave a cocky grin at the group, peering through blood red locks of hair, emerald green eyes seeming to flicker grayish-silver for a moment.

"Imagine my surprise, when I come back for a bit, and find out they built that replica of the Dream Gate."

Words wouldn't come. What could be said? They wanted to speak, to move but not a single one of them could do anything, paralyzed by shock, just staring.

"Well, I decided to add my own little touch to it. Good thing I did too. To think though, they have a day of memory for the boy they spent so long hating. Humans are strange creatures, aren't they?"

One of them broke from the hold of confusion. A pink haired girl lurched forward before racing at the red-head, wailing and engulfing her in a tight hug.

"ASTORIA!" Claris cried, squeezing the girl tightly, tears racing down her face.

The younger girl just smiled. "Good to see you too sis."

"My…my baby…" Katrina followed suit, pulling both girls into a hug. "you're alive…my baby's alive…"

Astoria rolled her eyes, but kept the smile on her face. It _was _good to see them again.

"Where…where have you been? Do you have any idea how scared we were? We thought…"

"You thought I'd commited suicide to follow Seth, right?" Astoria stated blankly, smile changing into a cocky smirk.

The others nodded, unable to bring the words.

"It _would _make sense. In many ways. But no. As you can see, I'm quite alive. As for where I've been? …**home.**"

* * *

><p>What she did…was impossible.<p>

She _destroyed _Nightopia. Not just that. But the very concept of _dreaming _itself.

"_Althena's Light." _The codename given to the secondary version of a powerful destructive force. Only two people in the _universe_ were supposed to know of its existence. But Astoria had connected with him. Deeper than anyone else. When he kissed her, while engulfed in _**Zero**_, the name he gave to the persona that emerges when he needs only to _survive_, she was bound to his very soul. She knew things that he would have come to know, that he _always _knew, but couldn't access.

Spiritual Memory, she would call it. The memory of the past, a past that we never lived. She knew his past, was connected to _his _tower. And she wiped it all.

It was the only way to completely destroy Wiseman. The Lord of Nightmares had desperately clung to the concept of the inverted dream, the negativity of existence. As long as Nightopia existed, so would the Nightmare, and as long as _that _existed, Wiseman would just keep coming back. So to destroy him, she had to destroy _everything_.

"_Althena's Light." _The name given to the activation command for a Nightopian Replica of the greatest erasure clause known. The Division by Zero. Originally a massive gravitational well that was strong enough to bend reality itself, Althena's Light was the Nightopian version. It would command the very essence of the world to invert, both sides, creating a dichotomy that would end in total chaos. And from that chaos, destruction would be brought.

"_Althena's Light" _would draw in the very concepts of Humanity, of Existence itself, and turn it into a weapon. A massive destructive force capable of erasing entire dimensions. The last ditch effort to end something that could threaten Existence itself. As such it couldn't just be used whenever. Specific conditions had to be met. The primary being the _end _of the Lord of Dreams. Though not completely official, Mikoto had selected Seth to be the Lord of Dreams. The Tower recognized her claim and his candidacy, especially since Alicia had no desire for it. He knew this…or at least had some idea.

Thus, he killed himself. So she could have _his _Ideya. The Ideya of her "father", and wield them to destroy Wiseman. She could not access her full power as long as he existed. She was the Child of Light, the ultimate in Tower Guardians. She was a being that was meant to defend the Lord of Dreams, so he would not have to do battle. And if the Lord of Dreams were to fall in battle, to not just be defeated, but Slain, she was the final defense of Nightopia.

Mikoto never thought to use Althena's Light. It never crossed her mind. She'd long since discarded it as a possible defense, knowing it was _the _final condemnation of effort. A suicidal, kamikaze attack, to take out the enemy _with _them, along with everything else, to prevent any remaining forces from touching the Dream. But for Astoria…it made perfect sense. It was the _only _way to separate Wiseman from the Nightmare. And without the Nightmare to sustain him, he was erased from existence.

She has spent, the last two years, helping to rebuild the Dream.

The Dream was erased, as was its concept from Humanity. They could not dream, for there was nowhere for them to go. Humanity's Ideya, their dream energy, was consumed by the Light, added to the Realm before it was erased. And she was one of many who had helped recreate it.

* * *

><p>"You've…been in Nightopia all this time?"<p>

Astoria nodded. "I felt a pull, as I passed by here. And I looked into the water, and I swear I saw a pair of eyes looking back at me. It was then that I knew, the Dream was being rebuilt. And as its destroyer, I felt obligated to help. So I cast aside my human life and let myself be pulled into the void. And let me tell you, it was _horrible_ the first few centuries. Darkness everywhere, raw feelings and emotions…it nearly drove me insane. But I kept going. And finally we built its base. It wasn't until last month that we finally finished. We've been at it for a couple thousand years now."

"…wait what?" They were all confused. Here she was, talking as if millennia had passed…and yet she only looked two years older.

"Time flows screwy there." She explained. "Especially since it was merely a vague concept for about five centuries. For me, it's been over two thousand years. For you guys, it's only been barely two. But then again, since time is screwy there, every couple centuries, the flow would shift. It was pure chaos. Days and Nights would flop back and forth, sometimes dusk and dawn would last for what felt like days, and other times only for seconds, night falling like a wave of black, day breaking like a wall of light. It wasn't until-

She cut off, head turning to the side. "…hold on a sec."

She stepped away from the group, moving along the aisle near the stage, before stopping. A massive distortion of air ripped into place, a gale of light appearing, shimmering angrily. She reached out a hand, and one of the silver bracelets she wore glowed. The light flared in multiple colors, before it settled to an echoing silver, before slowly fading away.

"Ok, sorry about that. Where were we?"

"…what was that?" Helen asked.

"Spatial collapse. They're little annoying distortions that pop up from time to time. think of them like cosmic zits. They're gonna show up randomly for a while, till the connection between worlds settles again."

"Are they dangerous?" Melissa queried.

"Ehh, mostly harmless. If you step through one you might get pretty dizzy. Might start seeing stuff that isn't in the human plane of existence for a little while. Or you might fall into another dimension. But since these have been made because the Dream and Earth have been reconnected, you'll just wind up somewhere in Nightopia. _Maybe _the Nightmare, _maybe_."

"How…do you know all this?" Penelope spoke.

"I told you didn't I? I spent _forever_ helping rebuild. You learn a lot when you're barely holding on to existence by clinging to your conceptual essence."

She was going to continue, when a loud ringing sound echoed through the auditorium. They watched her blink and then smile brightly. She reached out, as a series of ripples appeared in the air, a figure slowly beginning to form from nowhere.

"**So this is where you got to."**

A voice echoed. The figure became solid, appearing to be a young looking man.

"Hey you." Astoria said, grasping the figure's hand before pulling him into a hug.

"Hey yourself. Well, considering how _simple _it was to cross over, I take it you've done it."

Astoria nodded. "Yep."

"Any problems?"

"None connecting. Though we might have a bit of cleanup to do. Had to pop a crack a minute ago."

The figure nodded, black hair bobbing up and down. Something about him was…familiar. His eyes glanced over to the group, widening slightly.

"So…you're _here_ then." Astoria nodded again, smiling brightly. "What can I say? I missed my family and friends." He smiled softly.

"Got no family to miss…the friends part though…"

Something about those words clicked in Claris' head. She screamed.

Everyone looked at her in shock, jumping. She just stared, gaping and pointing at the man.

"SETH!"

* * *

><p>He had died.<p>

Shot himself in the head.

But he'd done something. Something even _he _didn't know about.

Each time they kissed. Each time they shared Idea. They came closer together. By the third time, they had become two halves of the same soul. Astoria gained all of his potential, on top of her own.

When he died, she continued to _Observe _him. She believed in his existence. Believed in him. She knew he was dead, but she believed still. And when she returned to the chaotic void that was once Nightopia…

So did **he.**

She was _his _Anchor. Something neither of them had predicted, or intended. But because they had become so close, because they had shared essences, they literally became the lifeline for the other. Wherever she went, she brought him with her. And when she went back…he returned.

"_So there it was, I was waking up, splitting headache, not knowing __**what **__the fuck. And then this blur of red slams into me. Next thing I know, I'm being practically suffocated in a hug, smothered by kisses. Then she just, stops. And looks at me. I'm barely aware of who she is, my memories starting to come back, but fragmented. But you know what this little spitfire does next?"_

_She colored red for a moment before smirking. "I fucked your brains out, that's what I did next."_

"_**WHAT?"**_

_He nods, shaking his head at the same time. "I'm barely aware of anything, and all I know is some crazy redhead is riding me like a friggin horse suddenly. First words out of my mouth when she's __**finally **__sated, you deranged nympho you, are 'what the crispy shit just happened?' and then this one, just friggin looks at me, and __**laughs**__. I'm confused as shit and Giggles McHyenaBark over there is friggin howling her face off, pounding the non-existent ground. I literally thought she'd lost it."_

They spent millennia together. Repairing distortions, re-forging entire lands. It was hell, but they had each other. And they knew, because she could get _there_ from Earth, they could eventually go back.

But Seth was dead. He died when he shot himself in the head, for the sake of saving the people he loved. Holding a bawling Claris, he explained why he did what he did…and how he returned. He was no longer Seth Johnson. For he had died, sacrificed himself. He had now reclaimed his 'old' name. He was **Zero Shinzaki.** The Lord of Dreams.

* * *

><p>"…now what…?" Claris asked, from Zero's lap. He'd dried her tears and pulled her into a deep kiss, that she was too happy to respond to.<p>

"Now, we let things settle. You all will probably have weird, fucked up dreams for a little while. Shit that won't make _any _sense. But give it a little bit. A couple months at the most, and things'll go back to normal."

"What about you?" Alicia asked.

"Well…actually that's what I was gonna tell you all. Cause of the maaaaad levels of what the fuck going on…this City is now…well…half-dream."

"…what." Claris said flatly.

"Yeah…I don't really get it either. But from what I can tell, Twin Seeds is now directly connected to the Dream. That's why Tori was able to put those doors there. And they _work_. But it's like Mikoto said, only people with five or six shining Ideya can easily cross between. Tori and I don't count, I'm the Lord and she's my Child of Light so-

"Wait what?" Claris interrupted. "When did that happen? I thought Mikoto was!"

"We both are. Originally the Tower is only supposed to have one ultimately powerful guardian, but Zero decided to change that. Now, there's the seven guardians of the Dream itself, then there's me, then Mikoto, then Zero. And then if something happens to me and Zero, Mikoto again."

Zero nodded. "Actually I was gonna ask if any of you wanted to come and get trained in how to bend that world properly. I know Alicia can fuck reality easy there so she doesn't need it except as refresher courses, but the rest of you…" he looked hesitant. Astoria squeezed his shoulder as Claris looked into his eyes.

"…you want to ask us to help defend your world, if the time comes." She said. He looked at her, surprised.

"It might have only been once, but we _did _share Ideya. I can still feel that connection with you. I'm still pissed you screwed my sister though."

"Oi! _She_ screwed _**me!**_ _I _was barely coherent at the time!" he countered.

"Uhuh, suuure." Claris said, mockingly sarcastic.

"Wench!" She started laughing as he tickled her mercilessly.

The others watched fondly, all of them happy to finally see the girl properly smiling again. The light had returned to her eyes.

After Zero was done torturing the girl, he turned back to the others.

"I'm game." Elliot said. It felt good to wield that power against Wiseman…even better to know he was defending what he loved. It was shit not being able to dream…and if he could do something to help, he would. Unknown to him, the others echoed those sentiments. Will, Helen, and Alicia all nodded along. Claris just kissed him.

"What about the rest of you?" Zero asked. The others were surprised.

"You…would…with us…?" Catherine asked.

"Don't see why not. You guys gave off a pretty decent glow when you were trying to get me horny enough to be confused and pull you to Splash Garden. I know Penny got ahold of the 'laws' there pretty easily, and despite Melissa's reservations I get the feeling she'll do fine. And you, you've got balls of iron so no _way _can I pass you up. Plus, Katrina spat out a friggin Kamehameha. I'd be _dumb _not to see what _else _she can do."

After a little deliberation, it was settled. Katrina, Catherine, Penelope and Melissa would join the other five in training in the Dream, learning how it works.

"We'll start by finding out what your primary elements are, and go from there…"

* * *

><p><em>So from there, we all started training. Our trainers are…strange. They know everything he knows. Apparently they're formed from aspects of his personality that began forming not long after he moved to Twin Seeds, and seemed to vanish after he bonded with Astoria.<em>

_Needless to say…Zero and I ended up together. The only downside is that I have to share him with my sister Astoria. But even then…well…as he always said…love knows no boundaries. If you truly love someone, you'll do whatever it takes to make them happy. He said it himself…_

_To care for someone, is to be willing to die for them._

_But to Love someone…is to be willing to __**Live.**_

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><p><strong>AN:** That's it. The epilogue is complete. This story is complete. I'd like to thank all my readers for slogging through this mess which at some times was incoherent. Some of you who know my works will have seen an Epilogue coming. A "happy ending" so to speak. I don't like writing unhappy endings very often. Though most of the time, when I intend to kill someone, unless I get an idea for them later on, that works because they 'died', they stay dead. The song used in this chapter is METHOD_HYMME_GRANZERO=SPEAR from the Ar Tonelico hymmnos musical vocal mini album, the Cocona one. the song last chapter is Champion feat. Emyli, from the Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt soundtrack. P&SwG is an INSANE Anime and should be watched.

However, know this. "Seth Johnson" is indeed dead. Zero Shinzaki is a completely different person. The bodies are similar, the mannerisms are similar, but they are two fundamentally different people. I view the concept of death in multiple forms. The conceptual essence that was Seth Johnson, is gone, permanently. The soul that was in that body, was tied to Astoria Sinclair, who fell into the chaotic void that Nightopia became from Althena's Light. After that, the soul was released, and her memories, along with the soul's own desire for survival, created a vessel. That vessel, forged from Astoria's memories of Seth, resembled him. But he is indeed someone different.

**Archsage328:** I'm glad you enjoyed it all. Wiseman is indeed gone forever. As was Nightopia…for a time. With this…it is officially Night Over. Dunno if I'll write any more NiGHTS stories, but if I do, you'll see them pop up.

**Dragon and Sword Master: **As per my usual, I'm using your full title for the end. BFM has always been an influence on me. Many games from my youth were. If it weren't for them…well…I wouldn't be here to write, today. I'm sure you saw this coming, but this is the epilogue. With this, the story is truly over.

Keep dreaming, dreamers. And don't let your dreams fade. Even if they seem impossible, even if they seem unlikely. Don't give up. Somehow, some way, you'll get it done. After all, remember, long ago, people thought of touching the skies, and laughed at any who said they wanted to try. Long ago, the concept of flicking a single stone, and instantly having fire, was considered witchcraft. It was impossible for them to fathom what we have today, methods of speaking to one another in the blink of an eye.

No matter what, unless they _change_, don't give up on your dreams. But, on the other hand, don't think you're only allowed to chase after one dream. The world is made up of many small things, tying together to make a big picture. Do it all in steps, and don't be afraid of failure. Because no matter what, even when you fail, even when you miss a flight, or miss a train, or even miss a step, something changes. You learn, you grow. And who knows. Perhaps by missing those things, at that moment, you've done something that will lead to a much brighter future. Never be afraid of failure, never be afraid to chase your dreams, no matter how ridiculous someone may say they are.

Keep dreaming, dreamers. And who knows. Maybe I'll see you there.


End file.
